


Chamber of Secrets

by Tay_Quin



Series: Harry’s Slytherin Sister [1]
Category: Emma Evans: The Slytherin Sister - Taylor Quinlan, Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/F, F/M, Harry Potter has a little sister, M/M, Quidditch, She’s friends with Draco, and the other slytherins, she looks just like Lily, she’s a slytherin, slytherin seeker, slytherins have hearts, snape’s favorite
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-10
Updated: 2020-06-18
Packaged: 2021-03-01 20:08:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 22,087
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23572867
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tay_Quin/pseuds/Tay_Quin
Summary: Harry Potter has a little sister who is a Slytherin. She looks just like Lily Evans. Much to Harry’s dismay, she quickly befriends Draco Malfoy.Warning: language, character deaths, violence, and possibly some mature content (probably not), I’ll try to keep it PG-13
Relationships: Albus Dumbledore/Gellert Grindelwald, Angelina Johnson/George Weasley, Cho Chang/Marietta Edgecombe, Draco Malfoy/Original Female Character(s), Draco Malfoy/Pansy Parkinson, Fleur Delacour/Bill Weasley, Ginny Weasley/Dean Thomas, Harry Potter/Ginny Weasley, Hermione Granger/Fred Weasley, Hermione Granger/Ron Weasley, James Potter/Lily Evans Potter, Neville Longbottom/Luna Lovegood, Pansy Parkinson/Blaise Zabini, Ron Weasley/Lavender Brown, Severus Snape/Lily Evans Potter, Sirius Black/Remus Lupin
Series: Harry’s Slytherin Sister [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1696795
Comments: 16
Kudos: 163





	1. The Best House

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys! This isn’t my first fic, but it is my first one on this platform. I’m just learning to navigate this platform so please bear with me here. I have no idea how often I will update on this story, hopefully once a week but I have no idea. I hope you all enjoy and please feel free to correct me on any spelling/grammatical errors. I don’t have anyone editing for me and I often miss my own mistakes.

I had been so angry with Harry when he had gone to that school and left me on my own, with them. I was right to be angry, the Dursley’s were dreadful, despicable and cruel. Though I had to admit they were always harder on him. At least I was allowed to pick out clothes from thrift stores, I couldn’t very well wear Dudley’s hand me downs. That would raise too much attention among the neighbors. Still that year without him, while he was at Hogwarts, had been long and I had been on edge for nearly every second of it. I was glad to have him returned home safely at the school year’s end. 

Spirits had been high and he had gladly shared a photo album from Hagrid with me. However as summer continued his mood had fallen with each passing day that brought no letters from his friends. Poor Hedwig was getting impatient and restless in her cage too. Uncle Vernon had wanted her gone, but to my surprise Petunia had said she could stay.

I had spent the entire summer studying Harry’s school books and listening to stories about his time there. I was glad he had been able to make some friends and I wasn’t surprised to hear that he had made some enemies too. But I was a little worried when I found out the truth of what had happened to our parents. Harry and I had always been told they had died in a car crash. To find that an evil wizard had killed them was rather unnerving. Then to find that Harry, as a baby had killed that wizard was even more insane. But what terrified me the most was learning that the wizard had come back and tried to kill Harry again while he was at school. I could only hope that the wizard had been killed once and for all,

Harry and I went up to our shared room just before Uncle Vernon’s work guests arrived. Upon entering the room, we discovered an odd looking creature upon the bed. An ugly thing with a long crooked nose, bat-like ears, and eyes the size of saucers. He wore a tattered shift, possibly a pillow case, but I couldn’t be sure. It looked as though it had been white, but was now a sickly green color.

“Hello,” I said softly, venturing into the room, afraid of startling it, “What’s your name?”

As I drew closer, Harry’s hand closed around my arm, holding me back from the creature.

“Dobby, miss.” The creature squeaked. 

“Hello Dobby, if you don’t mind me asking, what kind of creature might you be?” I asked gently. It felt as though we were walking on a razor’s edge, I feared what would happen if he tumbled off, but curiosity won out.

“Dobby is a house elf miss.” He was quite sweet, I had to tread carefully, I did not wish to hurt his feelings.

“Fantastic, and why might you be in our room?”

“Dobby has come to warn Harry Potter, not to return to school this year.”

Harry stepped forward, “Why not?” His voice was harsh, he loved Hogwarts. Nothing this elf would say could sway him, Harry was going to Hogwarts no matter the cost. So was I. It wasn’t as though we would stay here a moment longer than absolutely necessary.

“Master has unleashed great dangers at Hogwarts, it is not safe for Harry Potter to go back. Oh Harry Potter say you won’t go back.” The little elf pleaded.

“No.” Harry’s voice was hard, he would not change his mind, no matter what.

“But your friends have forgotten you, they haven’t even written you a single letter.”

“How do you know my friends haven’t been writing to me?” He took a step closer, abandoning his place by my side.

Out of thin air Dobby pulled several envelopes, thick with parchment inside. The creature had been taking his letters! How dare he!

“You’ve been stealing my letters!”

“Dobby hoped that if Harry Potter thought his friends had forgotten him, he would not return to Hogwarts.” This elf was delusional if he really thought that would work. 

“Give me the letters!” Harry growled and took another step towards the elf.

“Say Harry Potter will not return to Hogwarts!” Harry lunged for the elf but he danced out of the way and ran into the hallway. Down the stairs. Harry barreled after him. Uncle Vernon would be furious. By the time I made it down the stairs, Dobby had dropped Aunt Petunia’s dessert onto one of the guest’s head and vanished into thin air. Uncle Vernon’s face had grown a deep purple and he was screaming and spitting at Harry. 

“Room! Now!” Was all I could make out before Harry was turning and running up the stairs, I followed him.

He had not managed to get the letters.

****

The rest of the summer was worse than any ever before. Six locks had been added to our bedroom door, on the outside and a small, swinging, dog door had been added to it, for food to be pushed through. Bars had been added to the window and we were only allowed out of the room for brief bathroom time. It was a prison. 

Uncle Vernon was spitting man and would promise us with every visit to our door, that he was never going to let us go to Hogwarts.

****

“Happy Birthday Harry.” I said into the darkness. I had barely gotten the words out when twin lights were shining down the street. No not on the street, above the street, and there was the rumbling of a car engine. A flying car. I was up in an instant, Harry by my side as we peered at it, flying toward us. It stopped on the other side of our barred window, and inside it I could just make out three red headed boys. Two were identical to one another, Fred and George they must be, and the other, Ron. They attached a hook to the bars and the car accelerated, pulling the bars straight from the window. Harry was flying around the room, packing his trunk and tossing Hedwig’s cage to me. She screeched indignantly and I hushed her. But already it was too late. There were footsteps in the hall. Uncle Vernon had heard the commotion and was coming to force us to stay. I pulled open the window as Harry began furiously throwing books into his trunk. I handed Hedwig’s cage over to Ron and he settled it into his lap. 

“Hurry up Harry!” Fred or maybe it was George called. I clambered out the window and into the awaiting car. Uncle Vernon was turning locks, keys jangling in his haste. The car turned and the trunk popped open, Harry flung the trunk in none to gently. The trunk snapped shut and the car was wheeling back around, Harry lunged for the car, just as the bedroom door slammed open revealing Uncle Vernon’s ample purple frame. He ran faster than I thought possible for a man of his size through the room and launched himself at Harry. But Harry kicked him off, the rest of us pulling him into the car as Fred drove away. I turned back just in time to see Uncle Vernon crashing into the bushes below.

“Happy birthday Harry.”

***

The Weasley’s were a wonderful family and I truly had to applaud Harry on his choice of a best friend. Fred and George spent our first breakfast telling me all about the wonderful pranks they had played on their siblings over the years. And there was a girl, Ginny who was in my year at Hogwarts.

Everyone in the family had been rather surprised though, except for Ron of course, because none of them had known that Harry had a sister. Apparently my name had never appeared in the Daily Prophet or even in our parent’s obituaries. How strange.

I began to worry, what if no one in the magical world knew I existed, then how would I get my letter for Hogwarts? My worries faded though when an owl swept in (after hitting the glass of the window) with all of the letters for the year. Percy, Fred, George, Ron, Ginny, Harry and I all opened ours together. I was so thrilled to finally see mine. Everyone was supposed to receive their letter on their eleventh birthdays, but that only actually happened if your birthday was after December and before September. If your birthday fell between September and December then you would just receive your letter when everyone else got their supply lists. And since my birthday was October 15th, that rule applied to me. 

After breakfast, it was decided that we would all go to Diagon Alley to get everything we needed for the year. I had never been before! We all traveled by floo powder, but of course, Harry messed it up and ended up going a grate to far. He’d be fine, but still Molly worried. 

I had already gone to Gringotts and purchased the majority of my things when Harry finally turned up. He was with Hagrid who said to have found him in Knockturn Alley. Harry was always one to find trouble for himself. Her line had joined us only minutes before ran to embrace Harry. She preformed some magic to repair his glasses and gave an exasperated sigh.

The last thing we had to do was buy all our school books at Flourish and Blotts. There was a very boisterous man inside who introduced himself to the crowd as Gilderoy Lockhart. I instantly did not like him, he was so arrogant, so full of himself, certainly he had been a Gryffindor. He recognized Harry immediately and grabbed him for some pictures. Poor Harry, he looked as though he would rather have been anywhere else in the world in that moment, well aside from at the Dursley’s. 

Harry looked to me for help, and I quickly escaped up the stairs to avoid being dragged into the situation. I found myself to be in the company of a stranger. He looked to be about my age, maybe a little older, with the whitest blond hair I had ever seen. 

“Perfect Potter, can’t go anywhere without being recognized.” The boy scowled.

I let out a scoffing laugh at that. Perfect? My brother was anything but perfect, but I had to agree with the being recognized part. I had been with him in the magical world for less than three minutes and he had already had his picture taken for the Daily Prophet.

“What are you laughing at?” The boy asked, turning to me, then his face changed, filled with sudden recognition. “Red hair, you must be a Weasley.”

I let out another laugh, “No, I am not a Weasley.”

He turned to look at me fully then. 

“Do you go to Hogwarts already or will this be your first year?” I asked him, I had a feeling that this boy was Draco Malfoy, but I wanted to confirm it.

“I’m going to be a second year.” He said proudly, chin high.

“This is going to be my first year, what house are you in?” If he said Slytherin, then there would be no doubt in my mind as to who he was.

“The best house,” Was his only answer, and I realized he was testing me, he wanted to see what I regarded to be the best house.

“So Slytherin then?” I decided to play along.

It seemed I had pasted the test, as he gave me a real smile and extended his hand, “Draco Malfoy.”

I took it and said, “Emma Evans.”

Harry and I had discussed it over the summer. For whatever reason, the wizarding world seemed to have no idea that I existed. For my own safety, we thought it would be best to go by Lily’s last name, so if Voldemort ever did come back to power, there wouldn’t be a target on my back.

Maybe I could keep some of my anonymity at the school too.


	2. The Schedules

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Thanks to those of you who read and left kudos! Sorry it took so long to write this chapter, hopefully the next one will be out sooner rather than later. Feel free to comment with any spelling errors or errors in grammar. I don’t have an editor and it’s one in the morning, so don’t expect perfection :)  
> Also, please remember that I’m not reading through the entire series to fact check so things might not match up with the books entirely (aside of the obvious)  
> I’m American too, so this won’t come off as English writing and it won’t have English speech patterns.  
> I’ll be adding more tags, so comment with any recommendations.  
> Please enjoy and remember to leave comments and kudos so I know you want me to keep writing!

The morning we were to get to the train for Hogwarts was insanity. Things were forgotten and returned for, all of us packed into the car. It was utter chaos, and I loved it. I could tell Harry did too.

I was quite terrified to be running through the barrier, through a solid brick wall. Ginny and I were first though, so there was no getting around it. Once we were through I grew lost among the hoards of people, Ginny was no where in sight. But I couldn’t worry about that now, I needed to get onto the train before it left without me. I could only hope Ginny would do the same.

I hastily made my way through the throng of people and onto the train. There were very few compartments still open. I walked from car to car, searching for Hermione, Harry or any of the Weasleys. A voice called my name from one of the compartments, but it wasn’t my brother or any of his friends, but rather Malfoy. He stood and opened the door.

“Come sit with us,” He offered. I looked behind him to see two rather large boys who reminded me of Dudley. They must be Crabbe and Goyle then. There was a girl in the compartment too. She had dark hair and a rather stern expression. 

Reluctantly I slid past Malfoy and into the compartment. Crabbe, Goyle and Pansy were all sitting on the same side, leaving the adjacent seat to Malfoy. I decided he would have to share, I refused to squeeze in with the lot of them on one bench. Luckily he didn’t object and simply came to sit beside me.

“Evans, this is Crabbe, Goyle, And Parkinson. Vincent, Gregory and Pansy. And this is Evans, Emma.” He said, gesturing to each of us in turn.

Crabbe and Goyle each offered a nod and Pansy said, “Hey.”

“So,” Pansy began, leaning forward, “What’s your family in? What house?”

Great. I would be kicked out of this compartment after just one question, I could lie, but what the hell.

“My parents were Gryffindors, whole family was, I think. I have no way of knowing though.” I answered.

Pansy leaned back, crossing her arms, disgust evident on her face. Even Malfoy looked a little taken aback.

“But you said Slytherin was the best house,” He said, his face pinching in confusion.

“That’s because I think it is.” I knew my answer required further explanation, but I wasn’t sure how they would react. “My parents are dead. My whole family is dead. Everyone was gone before I was even a month old, so I was taken to a muggle family. I was raised with no knowledge of any of this.” I gestured to all of them and to the train, trying to encompass everything involved in this magical world. “I only learned I was a witch when I got my letter.” It wasn’t far from the truth, it had just been my brother’s letter, rather than my own. “So I had to figure out everything I could on my own. The muggles, they knew, about all of this! And they tried to hide it from me! They told me that my parents died in a car crash!”

Pansy’s expression had morphed into one of sympathy, and Goyle decided to speak for the first time, “What actually happened to your parents?”

“Voldemort killed them.” I spat, rage clouding my vision and skewing my judgement. Only as silence fell across the car, did I realize my mistakes. These people’s parents had likely been death eaters back when everything had happened, and no one said Voldemort’s name. I needed to be more careful.

Malfoy recovered first, “Well its a good thing he’s dead then.” 

I couldn’t believe the words that had come from his mouth, had he really just denounced Voldemort in front of his friends for my benefit? I did not know what to think.

There was another bout of silence as we took in Malfoy’s words before I decided to break it.

“So, what exactly is going to happen when we get to Hogwarts?” I asked, trying to Segway into easier conversation.

Pansy jumped at the opportunity, “All of the first years, such as yourself are going to be collected, probably by Hagrid, he’s the gamekeeper, half giant, but no need to be intimidated by his size.”

I interrupted her, “I’ve met him actually, he brought me my letter, had to break down our door to get it to me. The muggles were so intent on keeping it from me.”

She gave a small nod before continuing, “He’ll take you onto boats across the Great Lake and you’ll be taken into the Great Hall for the sorting. The rest of us will ride in carriages and meet you inside.”

We ended up doing exactly as Pansy said we would. I had separated from them with a promise from Draco that I was welcome to sit with them if I made it into Slytherin. They were all rather confident that I would. And I was left confused and conflicted, Harry had told me all of the horror stories that were Draco Malfoy and the other Slytherin, but I had seen none of that animosity today. 

Ginny joined me on a boat looking slightly flustered. “Where were you? I couldn’t find you, Ron or Harry! I had to sit with the twins! Well and Hermione of course, but still.”

“Sorry,” I said, “I lost you as soon as we got onto the platform, so I just found a compartment with some of the people in Harry and Ron’s year.” I was reluctant to tell her who my company had been. At Flourish and Blotts the Weasley family had had quite the confrontation with the Malfoys, ending in a rather barbaric tussle between the fathers. There was no love between those two families.

***

Severus Snape POV

I was already sit of this year. I was in no mood to watch the sorting that was about to occur. I had no interest in finding what house each of the forty first years would be in. I tuned out as Minerva called name after name to the sorting hat.

My attention snapped back to Minerva when she said, “Evans, Emma.”

And my mind was rushing, whirling, taking me back to another year, another sorting. The same girl was walking up to be sorted. The same face, the same hair, the same eyes. But a different name. Lily Evans.

I watched as Emma took long confident strides up to the hat. I watched as she sat, as the hat was placed upon her head.

This couldn’t be real. Lily and James only had one child, a son. But there was no mistaking it, that was Lily’s child, even baring her last name. Perhaps the girl had wanted to avoid the Potter fame, or perhaps she wasn’t James’ child at all.

I leaned forward in my seat, waiting for the hat’s judgement.

How had I been unaware of this girl’s existence?

But no, that wasn’t true, I had been aware, I had just chosen not to believe it. Dumbledore had shown me that little slip of parchment with those hastily scribbled words.

Emma is Lily and James’ daughter, Harry’s sister.

It was true.

Finally, after what felt like decades had passed, the sorting hat called out, “Slytherin!” There were cheers from their table and I released a breath, I didn’t know I had been holding. This could not be real. This girl, Lily’s child, a child I had not known existed mere minutes ago, was a Slytherin. To add to the irony, I watched as she took a seat beside Malfoy, her brother’s worst enemy. I looked to the Gryffindor table to see how Harry was reacting to the news, but I was unable to find him. I found Hermione, but no sign of Harry or Ron either. I rose from the table, they were likely causing trouble, I needed to find them.

***

Emma Evans POV

The Prefects showed us the way down to the Slytherin common room, it was in the dungeons of course. I hadn’t seen Harry at all during dinner and he hadn’t spoken to me after. I knew he wanted to keep it a secret that I was his sister, but I didn’t realize that meant he would be so distant. I supposed it made sense though, and it was for my own safety, it was dangerous to be related to the boy who lived.

It was eerie and a little off putting to say the least. It was underground, with rough stone walls and green tinted lamps hanging from the ceiling. There was a giant window looking out to the lake beyond, and several green armchairs strewn about. I didn’t want to go to bed yet, so I settled into one of them and opened up a book. I was barely three pages in when Draco leaned against one of the arms.

“Have you got your schedule yet?” He asked me.

I pulled it from beneath my book and passed it over to him. He studied it for a few moments, a look of confusion crossing his face. He quickly pulled out his own schedule and examined them side by side.

“What?” I asked, feeling a little defensive, there was no need for him to scrutinize my schedule in such a manner, it was just a schedule after all.

But apparently not, according to his next words, “They’ve made a mistake, this is a second year schedule.”

“Perfect,” I said, a little annoyed, “How do I get this fixed?”  
“Here,” He handed it back to me, “We can talk to Professor Snape.” He gestured to an extremely pale man with greasy black hair. I had heard horror stories about him too, from Harry’s first year. I gathered myself and walked over to him with Draco.

“Professor,” Draco said, “There’s been a mistake and she’s got the same schedule as me, but she’s a first year.”

Professor Snape took both schedules from us and looked at them. After a minute or so, his forehead began to wrinkle. He shook his head. “This is impossible, the headmaster has never made a mistake on a schedule before. I’ll take you to see him. Thank you Malfoy, that will be all.”

Draco gave me a reassuring nod before Professor Snape swept from the room, our schedules still in hand. He led me up several flights of stairs before taking me to a large statue of a Gargoyle. He mumbled something under his breath and the Gargoyle jumped assign to allow us by. We hurried up another flight of stairs and Professor Snape knocked.

A soft voice from the other side called, “Come in.”

And in we went.

The two of us explained the situation to Professor Dumbledore, who was rather kind, if not the picture of a muggle’s stereotype of a wizard. 

“I was under the impression that you have already read all of Harry’s books and know the material perfectly. I thought you made him tell you about all the lessons he could remember and teach you all of the spells he knew. I believe it would be a waste of time for you to partake in the lessons fitting a first year, so I placed you directly into your second year.” He explained.

“But professor,” I protested, “I have never done magic before, and I have only seen it done a couple of times. I’ve never brewed a potion or seen a magical plant in herbology or looked at the stars, I’ve never even flown a broomstick.”

“I think you will flourish here, Emma, but if you are truly worried, then we can test it out. I can give you a few tasks to preform and some questions to answer. Then we can evaluate your ability level.” Professor Dumbledore said reassuringly. “Could you try the levitation charm for me?”

I swallowed hard and tried it, “Wingardium Leviosa.” I said, aiming for a Knick knack on the Professor’s desk. Much to my astonishment, it lifted slowly into the air. My first spell! I couldn’t help the laugh of relief that escaped me.

Professor Dumbledore fired more requests and questions at me, Professor Snape interjecting his own on occasion, and I succeeded time after time. With every right answer and successful spell, my confidence in my own abilities grew. Maybe I could do this, Harry would be so pleased! That is if he intended on speaking to me this year. After nearly two hours, Professor Snape led me back to the Slytherin common room and wished me a good night. He had not seemed cruel either. But I supposed it was only the first day and time would reveal his true colors.


	3. The Seeker

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I spent all of yesterday and most of today rereading the whole series (aside of Philosopher’s Stone) and planning out the plots of this series. I think I have finally reached a schedule on how I am going to do this. I plan to update twice a week. I will update you if that changes. Thank you for the hits and kudos. Once again I do not own Harry Potter, the world of Harry Potter or any of the characters aside of my OC. All rights to these characters and this world belong to JK Rowling.  
> Enjoy :)

In all honestly, when I awoke the next morning, I was a mess of nerves. Today was to be the first day of classes. I calmed a bit when Pansy offered to show me the way back to the great hall. 

Draco, Crabbe and Goyle were already there, deep in conversation with a dark skinned boy, when we arrived. I seated myself beside Draco, Pansy on my other side. 

“Emma,” Draco said, “This is Blaise. Blaise, this is Emma.” 

“Nice to meet you.” I said, offering him a small smile.

“You too,” He said in response, before returning his attention to his breakfast. 

Just as I was beginning to look at the food, Draco took the liberty of piling various foods onto my plate. I stared down at the eggs, sausage, tomatoes and toast, trying to decide what to eat first. Suddenly from across the great hall, a terrible shrieking began to pierce my ears.

“Stealing the car, I wouldn’t have been surprised if they’d expelled you, you wait till I get hold of you, I don’t suppose you stopped to think what your father and I went through when we saw it was gone! We got a letter from Dumbledore last night, I thought your father would die of shame, we didn’t bring you up to behave like this, you and Harry could both have died! I am absolutely disgusted! Your father’s facing an inquiry at work, its entirely your fault and if you put another toe out of line we’ll bring you straight back home!” The voice was clearly Mrs. Weasley’s and I craned my neck to see who she was yelling at. I had read what a Howler was and knew that one was only sent in the most severe of cases. But how had one of the Weasleys gotten into trouble already. Just as she mentioned Harry’s name, my eyes landed on the crimson envelope floating right in front of Ron’s face.

“What is that all about?” I asked no one in particular.

“You haven’t heard?” Asked Draco, “Potter and Weasley missed the train, so they flew a car here and crashed it into the whomping willow.” 

How could Harry be so stupid? “Idiots.” I muttered under my breath. The others nodded their agreement. 

***

My first day of classes was rather boring, though my interest was peaked to find I had defense against the dark arts with my brother. Harry had given me an inquisitive look upon seeing me, I had yet to have the chance to tell him that I had been moved to his year. 

Our teacher was a bumbling idiot, so full of himself that he had tested us on our knowledge of him. In the back of the class, Draco and I mumbled the few answers we knew to each other. 

I was rather annoyed to find that Hermione had gotten every single answer correct.

“What has she done, did she memorize all of the books before the start of term?” I muttered beneath my breath.

“Probably,” Draco replied, disgust evident in his tone.

***

On Wednesday I asked Draco to teach me how to play Quidditch. He agreed and told me that tryouts would be that evening and if I turned out to be any good, then I ought to give it a go. We invited Pansy to join us, but she declined.

So right after our last class of the day ended, we scrabbled to complete all of our homework. Once it was finished with, we hurried down to the Quidditch pitch. I had bought myself a broom in Diagon Alley, a Nimbus 2001, but never before had it been used. If I turned out to be rubbish at flying, then this would have been an extreme waste of my money. I crossed my fingers.

We entered the Slytherin dressing rooms and changed, Draco fetching a large case containing the four balls. He quickly explained to me the basic rules of how to play and the positions, followed by a brief description of each of the balls. I knew Harry was the youngest seeker in one hundred years, but... He had been eleven when he had gotten onto the team. I was still ten. But I was a second year, so I had every right to tryout.

Unable to wait any longer, I mounted my broomstick and kicked off the ground. It felt... well like flying, which of course was exactly like it was. I soared around, taking a few laps of the pitch and then landed back with Draco. He was smiling broadly and I could feel myself beaming right back at him. 

“That was wonderful,” He praised, “Want to try the different positions?”

“Yes!” I replied, utterly ecstatic.

“Okay, keeper, chaser, seeker, or beater?” He asked.

I pondered this for a moment, then answered, “Keeper.”

“Alright, you go and guard the posts and I’ll try scoring on you.” 

I did as he instructed and soon found that I was a very poor keeper.

The same proved to be true about a beater. 

I was a bit better at chaser, and managed to score on Draco a few times, but I marked that down to the fact that he, himself was not a keeper. 

Finally, we moved to seeker. The one I had been most excited and nervous for in equal parts. My dad had been a very good seeker, and my brother, well everyone knew he was gifted too. I could only hope that I had received that gene as well.

Within mere minutes it became very apparent that I had received the talent after all. My heart swelled in my chest and relief poured through me. Though it ebbed away as I saw a group of people coming onto the pitch below us.

“Draco!” I hissed and looked down, he followed my gaze.

“Oh! Tryouts must be about to begin!” He said, “We better go down, and you better try to be the seeker, the team could really use you.”

As we flew down to the pitch, I took in his words, “What? I thought you were going to tryout for seeker.”

“I was,” He said as we touched down and dismounted, “But you’re far better than I am, I’ll try my luck at chaser.”

The tryouts went by in a blur, and I was a nervous reck. The team only needed two more players, a chaser and a seeker, both of the previous having graduated last year. They tested the applicants for chaser next and it soon came to my attention that I was the only girl there.

I watched as people flew above me, demonstrating their skills. From my view, it was clear that Draco was the best of them, though perhaps I was biased.

Finally they were finished and it was our turns. The seeker’s would each do three individual runs to catch the snitch while being timed. Whoever caught it with the fastest average would become Slytherin’s new seeker. 

Everyone went through their trials, and I thought I had done well, but it was impossible to tell whether or not I had been the fastest. I knew I had beaten some people, for they were sent from the pitch after one trial.

Marcus Flint drew everyone together and announced, “After much contemplation, I have deemed that our new chaser will be Draco Malfoy” A round of clapping among the players, mixed with some disappointed grumbles from those who hadn’t gotten the position. “And our seeker will be,” There was a pause in which I held my breath, in which my heart stopped beating, in which I was frozen in place. “Emma Evans!” There was another round of clapping and I released my breath, a fresh wave of relief coursing through me. “Now I am going to try and get us a slot this weekend, to get the two of you trained up, but Gryffindor has the pitch reserved, so I’ll have to talk with Professor Snape. I will let you all know the time, once its booked.”

Without further discussion, we all went into the changing rooms and got back into our regular school robes. We hurried back to the common room to share the news with Pansy. She was congratulatory, though there were others in the room who kept sending glares in our direction. They were the ones who had been trying out for seeker with me, and sent home after the first trial. I flashed them a toothy grin and then returned to my conversation with Pansy and Draco. 

I really could not understand why Harry loathed these two, particularly Draco, so much. Harry’s descriptions and stories of Draco completely contradicted my own experiences with him.

***

I got my first glimpse of the Draco that Harry saw that Saturday, at our first Quidditch practice.

When we reached the pitch that morning, the Gryffindor team was flying about above us. They spotted us and the Gryffindor captain, a fifth year called Wood, Harry, Fred and George all swept down to meet us.

“Flint!” Wood shouted, “This is our practice time! We got up specially! You can clear off now!”

Rather calmly, Flint responded, “Plenty of room for all of us, Wood.”

The three girls flew down as well, landing with the others. I was standing in the back, with Draco, and neither of us could see a thing over the heads of the others. 

“But I booked the field!” Wood hollered, “I booked it.” I rolled my eyes at Draco and tried not to laugh. 

Flint was ready for this, expecting it, “But I’ve got a specially signed note here from Professor Snape. ‘I, Professor S. Snape, give the Slytherin team permission to practice today on the Quidditch field owing to the need to train their new chaser and seeker.’”

“You’ve got new players, I didn’t even see tryouts, well, where are they?” Wood asked.

The five Slytherin’s in front of us parted to reveal us. I glanced at Draco to find him smirking and followed suit. Upon seeing us, Harry’s jaw dropped. 

“It would appear that Potter isn’t the youngest seeker of the century any longer,” Flint sneered.

“Aren’t you Lucius Malfoy’s son?” Asked George, no Fred. It seemed there was animosity between him and Draco as well. Did any of the Gryffindor’s like him? 

“Funny you should mention Draco’s father.” Flint said, boasting, “He’s gifted us all with brand new Nimbus 2001’s. On, look, a field invasion.”

I turned to where Flint was pointing, to find Ron and Hermione walking across the pitch towards us, liking to figure out what the disturbance was.

“What’s happening?” Ron asked Harry. “Why aren’t you playing? And what are you doing here?” That last bit had been directed at me. 

But I didn’t like his tone, he wasn’t acting like he knew me at all. Fine, well two could play at that game, “I’m the new seeker, Weasley.” Then I added, “And Draco is the new chaser, we’ve all got the new brooms too, curtesy of Draco’s father.”

“So you bought your way in?” Hermione asked Draco sharply, “At least all of the Gryffindor’s got in on pure talent.”

I saw Draco’s expression flash and then he spat, “No one asked for you opinion, you filthy little Mudblood.”

I immediately knew that Draco had just uttered some incredibly terrible insult because of the Gryffindor’s reactions. Flint moved in front of Draco, blocking him, as Fred and George lunged for him. One of the girls shrieked something unintelligible and Ron pulled out his wand and seethed, “You’ll pay for that one, Malfoy!” 

But Ron’s wand backfired and sent him flying into the grass. 

Hermione ran to his side and I peered around Flint, trying to see if Ron was breathing. Much to my relief, he was. But then, suddenly, slugs were falling from Ron’s mouth. I turned away in disgust. Within seconds, Hermione and Harry were rushing Ron off to Hagrid’s.

I turned back to Draco and asked in a low voice, “What did you call her?” 

He gave a shrug and looked at me, brows creased slightly, nonchalantly he said, “Nothing that she isn’t.” Then as an afterthought he added, “I forget sometimes, how little you know.”

Flint called for practice to begin, and I was left, with a pit in my stomach.


	4. The Birthday

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, it’s late so I’m going to keep this brief. I am going to try my best to update twice this week but I don’t know if that will happen so do not hold me to it. Leave kudos and comments if you like it. I hope you all enjoy! Without further ado, read on!

As soon as practice ended, I was off. I was in no mood to talk to Draco, I needed to see Hermione, Harry and Ron. And I needed to know what that word meant, mudblood. It sounded rather dreadful, all I needed to know was exactly how dreadful.

I changed as fast as I could, refusing to speak with Draco at all, despite his multiple efforts to start a conversation. Once I was finished, I set off for Hagrid’s little hut, hoping beyond hope that my brother and his friends were still there. 

Much to my luck, they were. I could see them through the tiny window, as I walked. I knocked lightly on the door and Hagrid came to open it. 

“Ah, Emma!” He said brightly, offering me a smile, “Good to see you, come in, come in.” 

I took his invitation and entered the small house, Fang barked at me, but his tail was thumping against the floor. I went to the table and immediately asked, “Ron, are you alright?”

He gave me a grave nod and said, “Good as new, no more slugs coming up anyway.”

“Good, that’s good,” I turned my attention to Hermione, “And you, Hermione? What did he call you, what did it mean?”

“It’s an insult against her birth, mudblood means impure blood, because she’s muggleborn.” Harry explained.

I gasped, I couldn’t believe Draco had said something so nasty to her!

“But don’t you mind that,” Hermione said, “Tell us how you got onto the Quidditch team!”

“Yeah,” Ron said, “You’re even younger than Harry was, how’d you do it?”

“And how come you’ve been going to second year classes?” Added Hermione.

“D- Malfoy taught me how to play Quidditch, right before tryouts. Then he decided to tryout for chaser instead of seeker, because he wanted us both to be on the team. We tried out, we made it, and then D- Malfoy’s dad bought everyone Nimbus 2001’s, except for me of course, since I already have one. And for the classes, well, Professor Dumbledore felt that I could move up to the next year. He thought I was ready for this level of magic.”

“Why didn’t I get bumped up?” Hermione exclaimed, suddenly outraged.

“I don’t know, ask Professor Dumbledore.” I said, slightly exasperated.

She shook her head, clearly at a loss.

“Maybe Dumbledore knew that you needed to stay where you are to keep Harry and I from dying.” Ron suggested.

“Honestly Ron, I don’t know what he really expected me to do, I didn’t stop you from flying that car here.” Hermione scolded, but she was looking at him fondly.

***

September was gone before I knew it, and then it was my birthday. I had long since forgiven Draco for what he had said to Hermione. We had grown closer and I had started to just ignore the things he said that dripped in pureblooded arrogance. The two of us had begun to partner up in everything, potions, charms, defense against the dark arts, the whole lot of it. We were both pretty skilled in everything, except he struggled a bit with astronomy and I was poor at best when it came to herbology, so we served to balance each other.

I was surprised to enter the common rooms on my birthday to a large pile of gifts waiting for me. Everyone on the Quidditch team had gotten me various Quidditch related things. A broom cleaning kit, books with tips and history and even three golden snitches to practice with and snitch earrings. Crabbe and Goyle had gotten me sweets from the kitchens (they were friends with the house elves down there). Pansy had given me a Sneakoscope, along with some new ink and quills that clearly were meant to mock Lockheart’s hideous peacock one. I had to smile at that. One gift remained, I picked up the last one. It was very small and light. I shook it, nothing, not a sound. I read the little tag, it read;

For: Emma Evans  
From: Draco Malfoy

Confused, I opened it. It was empty aside from a small slip of paper. I set the box down and unfolded the piece. 

Look behind you. I hope you’ll like it.

I turned around slowly and there was Draco, standing only a few feet behind me. I jumped back in surprise and nearly screamed. I had not expected him to be so close.

“Ready?” He asked, grinning.

“For what?” I asked, slightly suspicious.

“To see your present!” He exclaimed.

“Yes...” I said cautiously.

With great bravado he revealed a tiny black kitten with startlingly green eyes, a similar shade to my own in fact. My heart melted and I was instantly in love with this little cat. I scooped the little thing from Draco’s arms and held it in my own. Instantly it began to purr.

“Boy or girl?” I asked him, a wide smile on my face. 

“Boy,” He replied, clearly pleased that I liked his gift.

I threw my arms around him and pulled him in for a hug, “Oh thank you Draco, I love him!”

Once we pulled apart, he said, “I’m glad. I wrote my mother a few weeks ago, when you told me how you had always wanted a cat and I asked if we could get you one. Getting him here was quite an adventure too, since of course she cannot fly.” He was smiling so broadly that I was sure his face would split in half at any moment and he was babbling. I had to laugh. 

He helped me clean up the mess I had made by unwrapping the presents, then we went into the Great Hall. I had promised to meet the Weasleys, Harry, and Hermione to celebrate at Hagrid’s house that afternoon, after my classes were finished. And I couldn’t wait to show Hagrid my new kitten. 

***

I brought the kitten to potions (and all my other classes), and the whole way there, Draco, Pansy, Crabbe, Goyle, Millicent, Blaise and I discussed names for the kitten. Millicent and Blaise felt bad that they had not known about my birthday and promised to get me something as soon as they had the chance. 

I let the kitten sit on the table while Professor Snape gave out instructions for the class. Professor Snape noticed the kitten a few minutes in and came over to my desk. He said, loudly enough for the entire class to hear, “When did you get a kitten?” He reached out and began to scratch the kitten behind his little ears. The cat purred loudly and leaned into his hand. 

“This morning, curtesy of Draco.” I said, with a smile. At my words, across the room, Harry began murmuring to Hermione and Ron.

“And what is the occasion?” He asked, continuing to pet the kitten.

“It’s my birthday,” I explained.

He offered me a smile and a sincere, “Happy Birthday.” Before returning to the front of the room. 

***

That evening I hurried from the castle and across the grass, to Hagrid’s hut. Smoke was rising from the chimney, seeing it caused my excitement to rise, for reasons unknown. 

I knocked on the door and it was opened for me immediately, to reveal Fred, George, Ginny, Ron, Hermione, Harry and Hagrid. 

“Happy Birthday!” They all chorused to me. Hagrid revealed a large cake with wobbly letters that read “Happy 11th Birthday Emma” in green letters. The surrounding icing was a silver. Slytherin colors. 

“Thank you!” I said, taking my seat at the squat table. 

“Got any presents yet?” Fred or George asked, tugging at my hair.

In response, I pulled out my kitten, who had been wrapped in my robes for warmth on the brisk grounds. Ginny let out a squeal of delight and Hagrid rushed over to look at him.

“His name is Emmett, Draco got him for me.” I explained, “I got new earrings, snitches to practice with, broom care things, and books from my Quidditch team. Then Crabbe and Goyle got sweets from the kitchens for me and Pansy got me parchment, ink and a Sneakoscope.”

“A Sneakoscope?” Exclaimed Hermione, “Those are very useful!”

“I’m not so sure,” I said, pulling it from my pocket, “Unless one of you is untrustworthy. But it wasn’t going off with any of the Slytherins, so maybe you aren’t trustworthy.” I joked and everyone laughed, then looked to Fred and George.

“Fred, George?” Ron asked, “Have you done something?”

“No!” They replied in unison, they mocked being offended.

“Well, I’m sure you want your presents,” Harry said, looking to me.

“Of course, what am I here for?” I said with a laugh.

Without further ado, Hermione and Ron pushed the presents in my direction.

Feverishly, I began to open my presents. First was a wizarding chess set from Ron, Ginny and Hermione. Mrs. Weasley sent chocolate frogs. Harry got me a miniature Quidditch pitch with tiny players and goal hoops and balls. I could tell it a specific game and it would display the game for me to watch. Hagrid gifted me with a book on caring for magical creatures. But the best gift of them all was from Fred and George. It was a map of the entire school, named the Marauder’s Map.

“We thought you might be having some trouble,” Said Fred.

“Learning the school,” Continued George.

“So we thought,” Added Fred, “That this would make it a little easier for you to find your way.”

“All you have to do,” George explained, “To open it, is tap it with your wand and say;”

“I solemnly swear that I am up to no good.” Fred finished.

George said, “And then to close it,”

“Say; ‘Mischief managed.’” Fred said, demonstrating with the map.

I beamed at them, with this map, I could spy on everyone! I could make sure that Harry was safe at all times. This was fantastic! 

However, Hermione clearly disapproved. Her lips were pursed into a thin line and she was glaring at the twins.

***

I returned to the Slytherin common rooms late that night, exhausted from my time at Hagrid’s. I was surprised to find a wrapped gift waiting for me on my bed when I arrived. I found a small note upon it that was clearly written in Professor Snape’s handwriting. 

I was friends with your mother in school and before that, we were neighbors.Over that time, and since, I have been able to procure many photos.Here is everything I could find.

I unwrapped it quickly to find a green and gold photo album, containing dozens of moving pictures of my mother. Her and Petunia. Her and my dad. Her and a dark haired boy who could only have been Snape as a child. Professor Snape had given me this! This was at odds with everything Harry had ever said about him. I was beginning to see that none of Harry’s perceptions of these people aligned with my own. Perhaps it was because he was a Gryffindor.


	5. The First Attack

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I know this chapter is shorter than the others have been but I really wanted to get this out tonight and I reached a good stopping point. Enjoy!!! :)

Halloween was wonderful and the feast was simply divine, it was all too easy to forget what had happened on this very day, eleven years ago. An all too familiar sense of foreboding crept in as the night wore on, diminishing the joy and extravagance of the festivities. I was all too glad when the evening came to an end and everyone began to depart for bed.

Much to my dismay, that nagging sense of unease only seemed to grow with every step I took. As we rounded a corner, entering a new corridor, the crowd seemed to freeze as though rooted to the spot. Draco grabbed my hand and together we wove in and out of bodies until we reached the front and had a clear view. 

My heart stopped at what I saw. The caretaker’s, Finn or Flint or something of the sort, cat was dead, hanging by her scrawny tail, from a torch bracket upon the wall. And on the wall, written in blood...

THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS HAS BEEN OPENED. ENEMIES OF THE HEIR, BEWARE.

And standing there, in the middle of it all, was my brother, Hermione and Ron.

Beside me, Draco sneered, “Enemies of the heir, beware! You’ll be next, Mudbloods!” I turned and glared at him, but he wasn’t paying me any attention. There was a mad glint in his eyes, I certain glee that I had never before witnessed in him. It was same look that came into Uncle Vernon’s eyes before he would lock Harry in the cupboard without any supper or make me scrub all of the floors with the tiniest brush imaginable. Seeing that look in my best friend’s eyes was unsettling to say the least, and the words he spat did nothing to quell my mounting trepidation.

I turned back to face Harry, attempting to communicate with him silently, but he wouldn’t meet my eyes. Had he done this? No, he couldn’t have, what reason did he have for killing a cat.

Suddenly Flinch or Fargus, maybe Fango, no that wasn’t right either, burst from the crowd and screamed, in utter despair, “My cat! My cat! What has happened to Mrs. Norris?”

A surge of pity swept through me, if my cat had been murdered and hung upon the wall as some sort of sick trophy, I would be angry, I would likely react in a similar manor. I still was doubting the name I had given to the little gremlin, who had busied himself with chewing on my hair, his tiny claws digging into my skin. It wasn’t his fault, of course, he was too young to be able to retract them just yet, but still the feeling was unpleasant. 

My thoughts were torn away from him as Fanch began to shout, with growing volume, at Harry, “You! You! You’ve murdered my cat! You’ve killed her! I’ll kill you!”

I dislodged my kitten from my robes and pushed him into Draco’s arms before stalking forward, past the line of watching students. “Sir,” I began, trying to cover not knowing his name, “Why would Potter have killed your cat?” I asked placatingly. My hope was that Flavius would realize how preposterous the idea was, but Fabian was ready with an explanation.

“He was in my office! He went through my things! And he- He...” Felvon trailed off. Had Harry found a secret in his office? Had Harry done this? No, no, no. I mentally chastised myself for thinking it, even for a moment. Harry would not have killed her! Harry was no murderer! 

“I really don’t think that is cause for him to murder your cat!” I said, silently willing him to understand. Flance was unconvinced. 

“He did it! I know he did!” He screamed. He was walking towards Harry now, a finger pointing accusingly at his chest. 

But then Professor Dumbledore was there, “Argus, please come with me. And the four of you.” He said calmly, looking at Hermione, Ron, Harry and I over top of his half moon spectacles. I glanced back at Harry before walking in Dumbledore’s direction. Lockhart offered for Dumbledore to use his office, but I wasn’t paying attention. I walked straight to Draco and snatched my kitten from his grasp. He opened his mouth, but I was already turning away, and without a second glance I followed Dumbledore to the office.

We were an odd procession, Farlen, Hermione, Lockhart, Harry, Snape, Ron, Dumbledore, McGonagall and me. It took me several moments to realize that Dumbledore was holding the dead cat. When had he gotten her?

“Headmaster,” Snape said, “I believe Miss. Evans had no part in this, I saw her in the Great Hall. Unless I am mistaken, she left at the same time as everyone else. However, I cannot say the same for the other three.”

Finch began to sob uncontrollably in the corner. Dumbledore did not seem to be listening, he was examining Mrs. Norris and muttering under his breath. 

Lockhart began to ramble about some adventure of his. Dumbledore finally looked up and interrupting Lockhart mid sentence, said, “She isn’t dead.”

“What?” I asked, utterly perplexed. 

“She has been petrified. Once the mandrakes have grown, she can be healed.”

“How?” Asked McGonagall in a whisper.

“That, I do not know.” Dumbledore said, almost wistfully.

“Ask him!” Flam hissed, pointing to Harry once again.

“It wasn’t him, no second year could have done this, it would require highly advanced dark magic to do this.” Dumbledore explained patiently. 

Still, Flargie would not budge, “He did it! I know he did! You all saw what he wrote on the wall! He found my- in my office, he saw- he knows- he knows I’m a squib!”

“Aren’t you listening? He couldn’t have done this! He can barely do second year charms, let alone advanced dark magic! And why the hell would he write that on the wall! He has no problem with Mudb- muggle borns! One of his best friend’s is Hermione!” I spat, entirely fed up with this man. Though to be fair, my cat was purring in my arms, while his lay motionless and stiff as a board. 

“What’s a squib?” Asked Harry. I wanted to roll my eyes, he really had no sense of timing here, but nosy as ever, he needed answers.

“A squib is a person born of a magical family, but without magical abilities. Basically the opposite of someone muggle born.” Ron explained quickly. Snape glared at him. Ron wisely shut his mouth.

“I know he killed her!” Flibbie exclaimed. 

“She is not dead! And perhaps Potter and his friends were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time, though it is suspicious.” Snape said coldly. “Why were you in the upstairs corridor and why weren’t you at the feast?”

Hermione was quick to answer, “We were at Sir Nicholas’ death day party and then we decided to head up to our common room because we were tired.” 

“Without any supper?” Snape hissed, sounding triumphant.

Ron opened his mouth but I beat him to it. Everyone in this room knew Harry and my secret already anyway, “Our parents were killed today!” I said harshly, I took a deep breath before continuing, “Eleven years ago, Voldemort came into our house and killed them! Tell me Professor, would that make you want to attend a feast, join in the festivities? Would it give you an appetite? Because I personally wasn’t in the partying mood! Nor was I very hungry.”

I glared at Snape, daring him to contradict me, to push. He stared back for several long moments before giving in.

“I suppose I would not be in the mood for a feast.” He conceded quietly. I turned away from him to find Hermione, Ron and Harry looking at me with shocked expressions plastered across their faces. Dumbledore was looking at me in the most peculiar way, and as his gaze lingered, I grew evermore uncomfortable.

“Off to bed.” Dumbledore said softly. 

We went.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked it! All of my exams are canceled due to corona so I have plenty of time to write. More chapters to come soon! For everyone who still has exams, I wish you the best of luck. Please leave comments and kudos! :)


	6. The First Match

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the kudos, comments and hits.  
> Enjoy! :)

I had cast all thoughts of the chamber of secrets from my mind, my focus was instead locked upon the upcoming Quidditch match. It was against Gryffindor and would be my first time facing Harry. This was my chance to finally see him play. He had to be good, to be on the team so young, but then again, so was I. 

I couldn’t bring myself to eat any breakfast the morning before the game. I was a mess of nerves. The whole morning went by in a rush, a blur and suddenly I was standing with my team on the pitch, my broom clutched tightly in my hand. There was Harry on the opposite side of Madam Hooch. For just a moment, we made eye contact and he gave me a nod. For some reason, that small motion calmed me. 

The world was silent around me. A voice broke through that silence, “On my whistle, one, two three.” The whistle sounded and I kicked off the ground. Sound came rushing back in with the roaring of the crowd. I had one job; find the snitch. Instantly I began scanning the air. Harry flew above everyone else and I followed suit. Better to be looking down on the snitch then up into the sun.

I flew to Harry’s side and circled him once. “After this game ends, I’ll be able to watch it back on the mini Quidditch field.”

“I’ll watch it with you,” He gave me a smile. Just then a Bludger went wizzing straight over his head, only narrowly missing him. George went pelting after it. 

“Alright there?” I asked. He nodded and I went back to scanning the air for any hint of gold. There! I dove for it, only to see the same Bludger changing directions in midair and soaring back at Harry. Were they supposed to do that?

Harry sped away from it, but... it began chasing him. I knew I needed to focus on the snitch, but this really didn’t seem normal. I forced myself to turn away. I looked to where the snitch had been, only to find it was gone.

As I searched the field once more I saw Draco score. 

Lee Jordan, the announcer belted, “Slytherin lead, sixty points to zero.”

It began raining heavily, as if to punctuate his sentence. 

There was their snitch, thirty feet below the left goal post. I rocketed towards it.

Suddenly the whistle blew. Damnit! 

Reluctantly I touched down on the ground, once again, the snitch had disappeared from view. 

“What the hell is going on? I was about to get the snitch!” I seethed. 

“Gryffindors called a timeout.” Malfoy explained, the whole team was annoyed. 

Marcus drew us into a huddle, “Alright everyone, keep it up. Just keep on scoring and hitting those Bludgers at the Gryffindors. Emma, get that snitch.”

The whistle blew and we all kicked off, back into the air. It was raining even harder now, and I could barely see. 

The Bludger was chasing Harry again within seconds. What were Fred and George doing? Why weren’t they helping Harry?

I set my sights on the field and there was the snitch! Right by Draco’s head. I raced towards it, but Harry had seen it too. And he was much closer. My broom was faster than his though, would it be enough? 

We were neck and neck, ten yards from the snitch when suddenly the Bludger that had been chasing Harry smashed into my shoulder, nearly knocking me from my broom. White-hot-blinding pain was shooting through my shoulder and side, where it had hit. 

Harry had reached the snitch now, his arm outstretched to catch it. In a last ditch effort, I put on a burst of speed, just as the Bludger smashed his arm. We were side by side once more.

“That Bludger is not right.” I hissed. I could hardly see, hardly breath through the pain. But I had the advantage now. I had the faster broom, and both of our right arms were hurt. But while Harry was right handed, I was a lefty. Both of us were reaching for the snitch. From the corner of my eye, I could see the Bludger coming for us again. I desperately wanted to pull back, avoid the blow, but I couldn’t let Harry win. It was clear he wasn’t going to pull out of the dive, so neither would I. We were getting closer to the ground with every second. That was probably for the better, I was going to pass out from the pain at any second.

The Bludger hit before I reached the snitch. I felt my left hand shatter. Shit. I knew Harry had been hit again too. I didn’t dare look. With much protest from my shoulder, I extended my right hand towards the snitch. There was no chance that my left hand would be able to get the job done now. My vision was clouding, darkening, and I knew I was losing consciousness. I forced myself to stay awake. And then the snitch was in my hand. I heard the Bludger make contact with my brother and the world faded into a black abyss. 

I woke, on the field, drenched with rain. My broom beside me and the snitch, still clutched in my hand. It felt like I had been hit by a train. Everyone was touching down now and Draco was already beside me. In the distance, as though through a long tunnel, I could hear Marcus telling Madam Hooch that something was wrong with the Bludger, that it had been tampered with. 

Then, as the world began to clear and solidify into something recognizable, Professor Lockhart appeared at my side. Fantastic. Just what I needed. More people were around us now. 

Harry had passed out too, and had yet to wake up. I sudden pang of terror went through me, what if he was dead. But then he groaned and relief flowed through me.

“Here, I’ll fix all that right up.” Lockhart offered.

I scowled at him and spat, “Get away from me you fraudulent baboon!”

He gave an awkward laugh and assured the growing crowd, “She really hit her head hard it would seem. She’s very confused.”

He pulled out his wand but Draco stopped him from preforming a spell, “She doesn’t want your help, leave it to Madam Pomfrey to fix her up.”

Lockhart stood, looking taken aback and hurried over to Harry, who had begun to stir. He seemed no more eager for Lockhart’s assistance than I had been. 

Fred and George still had not managed to get the mad Bludger safely into a box. It fought them, trying desperately to get to Harry. Harry seemed to have lost the argument with Lockhart. There were several gasps and I knew something had gone wrong. 

“Can you stand?” Draco asked, glancing over to where Harry was laying. 

I nodded, I hadn’t fallen very far and the Bludger hadn’t gotten my legs. I got to my feet and a wave of nausea passed through me. I pushed through it and began to walk towards the castle. Draco was by my side, ready to steady me at any sign of unbalance. 

I managed to keep myself upright the whole way there, and only collapsed when there was a bed to catch me. 

“I’m going to get Madam Pomfrey,” Draco said and ran off.

While he was gone, Harry, Ron and Hermione entered, Harry clutching his arm tightly to his chest. 

“What did Lockhart do?” I asked.

Harry was seething with anger, “He got rid of all the bones in my arm!”

I couldn’t stifle my laugh. After a few moments, I mastered myself and asked, “Will you be able to get them back?” 

“I had better, or I’ll kill him!” I laughed again, picturing Harry with only one arm. 

***

I was all healed and good as new within minutes. I had only suffered three broken ribs, a dislocated shoulder, a broken wrist, three broken bones in my hand and a broken finger. I was allowed to go back to the Slytherin common rooms. Harry, however, was forced to stay the night in order to regrow every single bone in his arm. 

***

The next morning I went to the infirmary to check on Harry, only two find that he had been discharged. I took out the Marauder’s Map, only to find him with Ron and Hermione, in a girls bathroom. 

Wondering if the map was malfunctioning, I rushed to the bathroom. Sure enough, there they were. 

I found them looking very guilty and sitting around a cauldron. 

“What the hell are you three doing?”

“Er... nothing,” Ron fumbled.

I rolled my eyes, “Right, then, Harry, how’s your arm?”

He held it up for my inspection, “Good as new.”

Hermione jumped up, “Have you heard?”

“Heard what?” I asked.

“About Colin!”

“Who’s Colin?”

“He’s a first year in Gryffindor, he was petrified last night.”

“Oh my god. So whoever is doing this has moved on to people now.” I said, surprised. I had thought it was just some prank.

“And by ‘whoever’ you mean, Malfoy.” Ron said. That surprised me even more than finding out Colin was petrified.

“What?” I was shocked, “Draco didn’t do this, he wouldn’t, plus he was with me last night. We were rewatching the Quidditch match to try and see if someone in the stands had bewitched the Bludger.”

“It was Dobby.” Harry said. 

“What? That little house elf who stole your letters and broke into the house?”

“Yeah, he also sealed the barrier to stop me from getting on the train.” Harry explained.

“He could’ve killed you!” I said, perhaps a little too loud.

“He was trying to get me to leave Hogwarts.” Harry said sharply, “Em, he knew about the Chamber, over the summer. He knew someone was going to try opening it. I think it’s Malfoy.”

“Is that what you’re doing, making a truth potion, to get him to tell you?” I asked, “Because it won’t work! He isn’t opening the chamber!” I took a closer look at the potion then. “Hang on, this is polyjuice potion. You’re going to interrogate him as Slytherins?” I was fuming with rage now. “Really Harry, what proof do you have? Why would you think it was him?”

“The Chamber was opened before, and we’re betting it was Lucius Malfoy and now he’s showed Draco how to do it.”

“All three of you are insane, it isn’t him!” I spat. With that I turned on my heel and stalked out of the bathroom, trying to ignore the doubt creeping into my mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave comments and kudos! :)


	7. The Risk of Lies

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can’t believe I got out another chapter for you all! Two in one day! Enjoy!

Potions class started out just fine, Draco and I were working side by side, making Swelling Potions. I looked to Vincent and Gregory’s potions behind me and saw that neither looked quite right. Millicent’s was wrong as well, and Pansy, clearly finished with her own, was trying to help.

I turned my attention back to Draco and said casually, “I overheard some Ravenclaws talking in the corridor. One of them mentioned the Chamber of Secrets having been opened before. Have you heard that, or do you reckon that its just gossip?”

Draco looked at me and caught my wrist before I added one too many lacewing flies. 

“It’s true. My father said it was opened fifty years ago, so before his time at Hogwarts. He also said that someone was killed that year, a girl. He didn’t know her name though, and she was mud- muggleborn.” He said, adding his own lacewing flies. 

“Do you know who opened it before? Or even where the chamber is?” I asked cutting up the roots into perfect cubes.

“No, I know they caught whoever did it, but they never found the chamber.” He said.

“Could it be the same person as before?” I inquired.

“I doubt it, whoever did it would likely have been sent to Azkaban. And no one has ever broken out of Azkaban so it has to be someone new.” He reasoned.

“Unless...” I began, “They caught the wrong person, then that person would be sent to Azkaban and the real culprit would be free to do it again whenever they wanted.”

“But then, why wait fifty years?” Draco asked.

“I don’t know.” A million thoughts were racing through my head, each idea less likely than the previous. 

I turned my gaze towards Harry, Ron and Hermione, with the intention of inspecting their potions, just in time to see Harry pull a firework from his bag. I watched as he took aim, and let it fly. On instinct, I shoved Draco and dove out of the way. Just in time too, because a moment later, Gregory’s potion was splattering everyone, blown up by the firework.

“What the hell?” Draco hissed.

Both of us stumbled to our feet and surveyed the chaos around us. Random parts of several people’s bodies were growing rapidly to monstrous sizes, the whole thing was really quite comical. At least until I saw Hermione slip out of Snape’s office, tucking something into her robes. She had stolen something from him! Likely an ingredient for their stupid potion.

***

Draco and I were walking down the corridor after class when I asked, “Do you think that whatever is in the Chamber will only attack muggleborns?”

He contemplated it for a minute before answering, “I don’t think so. I think enemies of the heir could be anyone who go against Slytherin’s beliefs. Like blood traitors and anyone who fraternize with muggles.”

My stomach did a little flip and I whispered, “But, I live with muggles.”

His eyes widened in memory of our conversation on the train, “I’m sure you’ll be safe, you’re a Slytherin.”

I wasn’t so sure.

***

“You idiots!” I shrieked at Harry, Ron and Hermione. I had cornered them in their bathroom again. “You could have killed someone, you’re lucky that Gregory’s potion was similar enough to the real thing!”

“Well you’re no help! None of this would have been necessary if you had just questioned him yourself!” Ron bellowed back.

“I did question him!” My blood boiled with anger. How could they all be so stupid? “He didn’t open the chamber! He doesn’t know where it is! He doesn’t know who opened it the last time! It was opened fifty years ago, in 1942! Lucius wasn’t even alive yet!”

“He could have been lying to you!” Ron retorted.

“And if he was lying to me, then do you really think he would tell the truth to whoever you’re going to pretend to be?”

Ron had no answer to that. He opened his mouth and then closed it again.

***

A week later a notice appeared on our bulletin board, informing us of the formation of a dueling club. Draco, Pansy, Millicent, Gregory, Vincent, Blaise and I were all planning on attending.

At eight o’clock, that night, the seven of us made our way to the Great Hall. As soon as I saw the instructor, I wanted to turn around and leave. It was Lockhart. At least Snape was there too, he could keep things from getting out of hand.

Snape and Lockhart began to demonstrate and my gaze drifted to my brother and his friends, on the opposite side of the stage.

Suddenly Lockhart was blasted from the stage. I cheered along with my friends, maybe we’d be lucky and Lockhart would wind up dead. Much to my dismay, Lockhart made it back to his feet.

He and Snape started to partner everyone up, Draco with Harry, Ron with Seamus, and Hermione with... me.

Hermione offered me a smile, which I returned distractedly. It was no secret that Draco and Harry hated each other.

“Face your partners!” Lockhart instructed. We did so. Draco and Harry were behind Hermione, leaving me with the perfect view of them, “And bow.” Hermione and I both did, but it was clear that Draco and Harry would not. They appeared to be having a staring contest. “Wands at the ready! When I count to three, cast your spells to disarm your opponents. One, two, three!”

Cries echoed throughout the Great Hal as everyone cast their charms.

“Expelliarmus!” Hermione shouted, but I wasn’t paying attention. I sights had shifted to my brother and my best friend. Draco had started early and hit Harry. Then Harry used Rictusempra on Draco, making him double over with laughter. I lifted my hand without thinking and blocked Hermione’s spell with protego.

She let out a little gasp of surprise. I still wasn’t watching her.

Draco used Tarantallegra on Harry and he started dancing jerkily.

Finally, satisfied that the two boys weren’t going to murder each other, I aimed my own disarming charm at Hermione. Unprepared, her wand flew from her hand.

“Emma!” She squealed, “You just preformed a spell without speaking!”

“Right, I suppose I did.” I answered, watching Harry and Draco again. Luckily Snape came to their rescue and stopped the tickling and dancing.

Within seconds, Harry and Draco were on the stage, preparing to duel once more.

“Just do what I did, Harry!” Lockhart said merrily.

“What, drop my wand?” Harry asked, I had to agree. Lockhart was rather incompetent.

“One, two, three!” Lockhart called.

“Serpensortia!” Draco said and a great black snake shot from his wand.

Hermione gasped.

I laughed.

She gawked at me. 

“Don’t worry, Harry has a thing with snakes.”

She looked at me as though I had sprouted a second head.

“Don’t move Potter, I’ll get rid of it.” Snape offered, stepping forward.

But of course, Lockhart had to step in. “Allow me!” He waved his wand and a bang sounded. The snake flew into the air and landed back on the stage. Clearly only angered by this attack, it slithered right at Justin Finch-Fletchley, poised to strike. 

Then Harry began to walk forward and omitted that terrible hissing sound that always came from him when he spoke to snakes. The snake settled back down onto the stage, no longer in any mood to strike. Harry grinned at Justin.

In response, Justin hollered, “What do you think you’re playing at?” And then he was stalking from the hall.

Everyone was staring at Harry like he was something to be feared, even Snape, even Draco. I didn’t like it. 

“Get him,” I hissed to Hermione, “Get him now.”

She hurried onto the stage and pulled him along with her, back to me, and then the three of us were rushing from the hall, Ron on our heels. 

We went to that bathroom where they’d been making the potion. 

Ron rounded on Harry, “Why didn’t you tell us that you’re a Parselmouth?”

“A what?” Asked Harry, clearly puzzled.

“A Parselmouth, it means you can talk to snakes!”

“Right, yeah I know that. But I don’t get why everyone was freaking out about me telling the snake to leave Justin alone.” Harry said.

“That’s what you said?” Ron asked.

“Yes...” Harry said slowly, “Ron, you were there, you heard me.”

“No, I heard you speaking Parseltongue.”

“I was speaking a different language, without knowing it?” Harry asked.

I nodded, the others were solemn.

“What’s wrong with that?” I asked, rather defensively.

“Salazar Slytherin was a Parselmouth, it’s what he was famous for.” Hermione explained. 

“People are going to think that he’s the heir to Slytherin. That he’s the one opening the chamber.” I finished. This wasn’t good, now, more than ever, it was vital for us to discover who was opening the chamber, before the whole school turned on Harry. He looked as though he was going to be sick. “I have to go.” I needed to think, to figure this out.

I ran from the bathroom and headed to the Slytherin common rooms. Draco was waiting for me when I got there. 

“Where have you been?” He asked, “Why did you go off with Potter?” He eyes were narrowed in suspicion. I needed to fix this, I needed to keep everyone from thinking Harry was the heir. So, I took a chance.

“Because I am a Parselmouth too.” I said, swallowing hard, “I wanted to know what he knew about it, because until now, I thought I was the only one, I didn’t know there was a name for it.”

“You can speak Parseltongue?” Draco asked. Several others had turned towards us now, clearly listening in. Good. The more people who heard, the better. 

“Yes.” I said flatly and as proof, I mimicked the awful hissing noises Harry had made earlier. Draco’s eyes widened and behind me, I heard the door to the rest of the castle open. Still making the sounds, I turned to see Professor Snape coming in. He froze when he heard the sounds and saw that it was my lips creating them. Shit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave kudos and comments are appreciated. :)


	8. Tom Riddle

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry! I know its been a while! Enjoy!

Rather than be interrogated by Snape, I hurried off to my dorm room, knowing very well that male’s couldn’t enter, not even a teacher. Pansy came in less than an hour later to find me sitting on my bed, doing homework alone. 

“Draco wants to talk to you,” Pansy said.

“I’m busy,” I mumbled.

“Oh come on Emma, he’s parked himself at the bottom of the stairs. He’s not leaving until you go and talk to him.” Pansy said, crossing her arms and fixing me with a glare. 

“I don’t want to talk to him right now,” I said firmly.

“Why? Do you really think he cares that you’re a Parselmouth?” Pansy asked, eyebrows raised.

“Snape is down there,” I explained, “I don’t want to deal with his questions.”

“So it has nothing to do with Draco?” Pansy asked.

“Nope, I would talk to him if Snape wasn’t down there.” I said, turning the page of my book and scribbling down another line for my essay.

“Okay, I’m going to go and try to convince him not to stay out there all night.” Pansy said and left.

Once she was gone, my mind began to drift from my homework. How could I figure out who had opened the chamber the last time? I was sure that the older teachers would know. Dumbledore, Professor Sprout, McGonagall, Hagrid, maybe Flitwick... Hagrid! Hagrid had loose lips and often over shared confidential information. I was sure that if he knew, he could tell me who had opened the chamber. I would have to use the map to sneak out tomorrow and see him. Maybe I could pull it off during breakfast. 

I awoke the next morning to find Hogwarts in the midst of a blizzard, which meant no Herbology for the day. That would leave me with a free period to go visit Hagrid. I was the first Slytherin down for breakfast, going down the stairs, I had to step over Draco’s sleeping form. I couldn’t believe he had really slept on the floor. 

I kicked him lightly and he stirred, opening his eyes with exaggerated slowness.

“Look who finally decided to make an appearance,” He grumbled.

“Yeah, yeah. Get up, we’re going to breakfast. No herbology today, so I’m going to go see Hagrid. He was at Hogwarts fifty years ago so he might know something about the Chamber of Secrets that we don’t.” I said, already walking towards the exit.

“Right, I’ll go with you.” He said, scrambling to reach my side.

“No, you won’t. You don’t like Hagrid and I don’t think he’s very fond of you either.” 

“So?” He asked defensively.

“He’s less likely to tell me anything if you’re there with me.

He was reluctant to admit that I was right, but eventually gave in. “Fine.”

We entered the Great Hall to find only the teachers and one Ravenclaw inside. The Gryffindor, Hufflepuff and Slytherin tables were completely empty of food. But, as soon as we sat, the table was magically filled with delicious foods.

“So,” I knew Draco was about to get into the whole Slytherin heir bit from last night, “Are you related to Salazar Slytherin?”

I took a swig of pumpkin juice and piled bacon onto my plate, “I really don’t know. My mom was muggleborn and my dad was pureblooded I think. I know he had at least one wizard parent. Yeah, I think he was a pureblood. But I live with my mom’s sister and her husband and son. They’re all muggles and talking about anything out of the ordinary is forbidden. So I don’t know anything about my dad’s side of the family.” I finished lamely. He was still looking at me expectantly, “But I’m not the one opening the chamber, if that’s what you are really asking me.”

He blanched, “No! Of course I don’t think you’re the one opening the chamber.”

“Then do you think it’s Harry? Er- Potter?” I asked.

I knew he noticed my mistake, but he didn’t say anything, instead he said, “No, he’s friends with that muggleborn, Granger and he doesn’t strike me as the type to go around petrifying cats and muggleborns, no matter what the others are saying. He’s too much of a saint for that. Why, do you think it’s him?” He spat the word ‘saint’ like it was an insult.

“No, but it doesn’t look good for him. He was with the cat when everyone found her and then he was in the hospital wing when Colin Creevey was petrified, so no one can vouch for him, he was alone. Plus Creevey was annoying him at the Quidditch match just before. And now, with him speaking Parseltongue, it isn’t looking good.”

I was about half way through eating breakfast when Hagrid got up from the staff table to head back to his cabin. I jumped up and ran to meet him, calling a farewell to Draco over my shoulder. 

“Hey Hagrid!” I said, once I had reached his side. 

“Well hello there, Emma!” Hagrid said cheerily, “Quite the blizzard!”

“Yes it is,” I said and then decided to jump right into things, no use dancing around it, “Listen Hagrid, weren’t you going to school here last time the chamber was opened.”

“Yes, I was.” He said, slowly, voice laced with suspicion.

“I heard that they caught the person who did it, do you know who it was?”

“Listen Emma, it wasn’t who they said it was. The person who they caught was innocent.” He said, wringing his hands together. 

“Hagrid... who was it?” I was beginning to feel like I knew the answer.

“They thought it was me, that’s why I was expelled. But it wasn’t me, I swear. I would never-” He stumbled.

“I know! Hagrid, don’t worry, I know you would never purposely harm students.” I interrupted reassuringly.

“I didn’t open the chamber, I don’t know where it is. I had a giant spider who they blamed for the death, but he never hurt anyone, I swear it.” And maybe I was being ignorant and idealistic, but I believed him.

“How did they find out about your spider? Didn’t you keep it hidden?” I asked.

“I was turned in, by another student.” He said. Why would a student turn him in?

“Who was it, did they have a grudge against you?” 

“No, he was a Slytherin, two years ahead of me, Tom Riddle. We hardly even knew each other.” 

But then... “Thank you Hagrid, I have to go.” I bolted off before he could say anything more. I needed to see Dumbledore. If Tom Riddle had turned Hagrid in then it had to because he would be easy to blame, which meant that either Tom Riddle had been protecting someone or he had done it himself. Either way, I had questions that I felt only Dumbledore could answer.

Tom Riddle.

Tom Riddle.

Tom Riddle.

I reached the gargoyle and hissed, “Lemon Drop.”

The gargoyle hopped aside and I rushed up the stairs, taking them two at a time.

I reached the office, only to find it empty. Dumbledore wasn’t here. I perched myself against his desk, to wait, eyeing a phoenix, who looked to be on the verge of death.

With every minute that passed, the phoenix looked worse and worse. I had only been waiting for Dumbledore for half an hour when Harry turned up.

“What are you doing here?” I asked in surprise. 

“I could ask you the same,” He responded a little harsher than necessary.

“What’s happened? Have you gotten yourself into trouble again?” 

“Sort of.” I rolled my eyes and let out a huff of disapproval, but he was quick to defend himself. “Look, it’s not my fault. I went to talk to Justin Finch-Fletchley about what happened at the dueling club, and Emma, he’s been petrified. So has Nearly Headless Nick.”

I didn’t really know who Nearly Headless Nick was but I had to assume he was a ghost, since I couldn’t imagine a student being Nearly Headless. But Justin. If he’d been petrified then surely the whole school would believe that Harry was behind it. He’d gotten himself into quite the mess this time. 

Just then, the phoenix burst into flames, leaving only ashes in its wake. 

Harry started and I had to roll my eyes at his ignorance. “Harry, its fine. He’ll be reborn from those ashes.”

“You sound like Hermione,” He muttered.

“Well if you worked a little harder then perhaps you would too.” He scoffed and opened his mouth to retort, but the door was opening and Dumbledore was striding in.

He settled himself at his desk and peered over his half moon spectacles at us.

“Your phoenix has just been reborn.” I said, if only to break the silence.

“Ah, yes. About time too, he has been looking rather terrible for several days now.” Dumbledore said kindly, then after a thought, added, “Professor McGonagall didn’t tell me that you’d be here.”

“Well, I-er,” I paused and gathered my thoughts, “I had a few questions to ask you. I can wait outside until you’re done speaking with Harry.” I offered.

I was backing towards the door when Hagrid burst in. He was out of breath, as though he had run all the way from his cabin. He gasped out, “Professor Dumbledore, it wasn’t Harry!”

Dumbledore’s eyes twinkled, “I know that Harry isn’t behind these attacks, Hagrid.”

“You do?” Hagrid asked, taken aback.

“Yes!” Dumbledore said, slightly exasperated.

I smiled at Hagrid fondly, leave it to him to come to Harry’s aid, no matter what.

Harry seemed to think this meant he was allowed to leave because he turned towards the door.

“One moment Harry,” Dumbledore said, “I have to ask, is there anything, anything at all, that you would like to tell me?”

I could see the wheels turning in Harry’s head, “No. There isn’t anything Professor.”

Dumbledore looked slightly disappointed, but he said nothing more.

Hagrid followed Harry out, leaving me alone with the Headmaster.

“What can I do for you, Emma?” He asked.

“I was just wondering if you ever taught someone named Tom Riddle?” His eyes widened.

“In fact I did teach him.” He said softly.

“Do you think you could tell me about him?” I asked, my fingers crossed behind my back.

“Tom Riddle was a Slytherin, much like yourself actually. Orphaned, grew up without magic, was a Slytherin, very bright, gifted with magic, and... a Parselmouth.” So Snape had told Dumbledore about my Parseltongue. But, if he was a real Parselmouth, then he could have been the heir to Slytherin.

“I can’t actually speak Parseltongue.” I confessed.

Dumbledore didn’t seem surprised in the slightest. “Tom Riddle turned into a very dark wizard, he became Lord Voldemort.”

I had been examining my chipped nails up until that point. At his words, my head snapped up so fast that my neck cracked.

“He’s the one who killed my mum?” I asked, in a barely audible whisper.

“Yes, and your father.” Dumbledore said, giving me a peculiar look.

“So then he’s the one who opened the chamber the last time! Hagrid told me that he’s the one who turned him in. Hagrid shouldn’t have been expelled!”

“My thoughts exactly,” Dumbledore said calmly.

“Could he be back, could he be doing it again?” I asked.

“He very well could be. He could be doing something similar to what he did to get in the school last year.”

“Wait, what? He got into the school last year? When? Does Harry know? He didn’t tell me!”

“Voldemort took up residence on the back of the previous defense against the dark arts teacher’s head. He tried to steal the philosopher’s stone, but Harry stopped him with the help of Hermione and Ronald.”

This was news to me. 

“Thank you Professor,” I said, standing, “I have to go, I’m already so late to my class.” 

Without another word, I fled the room. My blood was boiling with rage, how could Harry have kept this from me? The way Dumbledore had said it, it sounded like that information was common knowledge. Like the whole school knew.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed! Leave comments and kudos!


	9. Herbology

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We are getting close to the end of book one! Stay tuned, I have several more works planned.

It was an entire week before I finally had the chance to confront Harry. But at that point the majority of my anger had already dissipated. I had never been too good at holding grudges. So I had let it go, and decided that rather than fighting with him about it, I would just ask Hermione what had happened.

After her explanation, all I felt towards my brother was exasperation and a hint of fondness. He was such an idiot, looking for trouble. I could only hope he would stay on the sidelines this year and not try to play the hero against the heir to Slytherin.

Emmett had taken to his name like a moth to a flame. And finally I had decided that it was the right one to go with. Though I had entertained several other possibilities; Shadow, Smoke, Chase, and much to my embarrassment... Kevin. 

After much deliberation, I had come to the conclusion that Tom Riddle was, without a doubt, the one opening the chamber. The only question was; How?

The year was flying by, before I knew it Christmas had come and gone. The holidays had yielded no new information about the chamber.

Then Valentines Day passed and still I was no closer. Not that I had been trying very hard as of late. There had been no attacks since before Christmas. To be honest I had been a little distracted recently. Herbology had been kicking my ass as of late, despite Draco’s ceaseless attempts to help me. Draco was third best at it in our year, perhaps it was time to get help from the best. I couldn’t be sure who that was, but I had to assume it was Hermione.

So, when we queued up for potions, I pulled her aside.

“Hey Hermione,” I greeted her.

“Hey Emma,” She replied, a little distracted.

“Look, so I’m dreadful at herbology, I was hoping you could help me with it.” I explained, tugging nervously at my fingers. 

“I could try, but Neville is top in that class, maybe you should ask him.” Hermione suggested.

Neville? Top in anything?

“Neville? Really? I didn’t know he was any good in any of our classes.” I whispered, careful to keep Neville from overhearing.

“Well, he’s brilliant at herbology.” Hermione said, distantly.

“What are you thinking about right now?” I asked her.

Her head snapped up, “What? Oh, er, nothing, I-”

Before she could finish, Snape opened the dungeon door and ushered us inside. I parked myself next to Neville, who usually sat alone. Much to my surprise, Draco followed, rather than going to our usual table.

“Why are we sitting here?” Draco asked.

“I don’t know why you’re sitting here, but I’m here because I wanted to talk to Neville.” I said. Pansy, who was usually the third person at our table, now sat alone. She was glaring at Draco and me as though we had done something dreadful.

“You do?” Neville asked, looking at me, “Why?”

“I heard that you’re top of our class in herbology and I’m shit at it, I was hoping you could help me.” I said.

His face reddened and he sputtered, “I mean, I guess I’m alright at it, I suppose I can help you, I don’t know if I’ll be any good at it though.”

“Perfect,” I said with a smile, “How about every Saturday, I have Quidditch practice in the mornings, so maybe two?”

“Works for me.” He mumbled.

“Thank you,” I said, “You’re a life saver.”

A weight seemed to lift off off my chest, I had been worrying. 

On my right, Draco hissed, “Wait, he’s top of herbology?”

I gave a minute nod. 

I was so glad to have Neville’s help that throughout the class, I whispered instructions to him. And for the first time ever, Neville’s potion was flawless. As Snape wove is way around the class, grading each potion, for once, Neville didn’t seem nervous. He gave a satisfied nod to both Draco and me. A look of absolute shock crossed his face when he saw Neville’s. His eyes drifted to Hermione, but she was much to far to have offered Neville any assistance. 

Snape quickly came to this realization too because he asked the class, “Who helped Longbottom with this?”

Neville’s ears turned bright red and he averted his gaze.

“I did,” I said loudly, daring Snape to be angry.

He nodded and I saw him scribble a ‘100’ beside Neville’s name, before moving on to the next table.

As the weeks came and went, my grade in herbology began to steadily increase, all thanks to Neville. We spent hours in the library every Saturday during the homework together, often accompanied by Draco, and Neville had even taken to sitting with us in class. 

In return, I, and Draco (begrudgingly), helped Neville every potions class, bringing him from a dreadful to an acceptable, and then later, an exceeds expectations. Snape had even stopped poking fun at him, and awarded him points for Gryffindor, when he had successfully brewed a potion all on his own. He was starting to understand the ideology behind potion making and had finally realized that Snape’s instructions on the board differed from those in the books and often had better results. 

We were watering the mandrakes when Draco brought up the topic of next year’s classes. 

“Listen Emma, we don’t have much more time to pick classes, we need to figure out what we want to take.” He said. My brain hurt from thinking about classes, there were so many choices and I had no idea what to choose.

“Neville, what are you taking?” I asked.

A look of great distress crossed his face at my question and he replied, “I have no idea, all of my relatives have sent me advice, but they all disagree, so I have no idea what to do.”

I had already asked Harry and Hermione for help, but Harry had just selected things randomly and Hermione had picked everything, so I was left more confused than ever. There was muggle studies, care of magical creatures, divination, arithmancy and ancient runes.

“I think you should take muggle studies, Draco.” I said suddenly.

He bristled, “What, why?” 

“Because,” I began, then paused to gather my thoughts, “Because I live with muggles. Over the summer I won’t be able to communicate with you the wizard way, my aunt and uncle won’t like it, they won’t even let Ha- me do my homework. If you want to talk to me, you’ll have to learn to do it the muggle way.” I had nearly said Harry, that would have led to some awkward questions, lucky he seemed not to have noticed. He did, however, seem to be contemplating my reasoning.

After what seemed like forever, he said, “Fine, but you have to take it with me.”

“Fair enough,” I agreed, “So what else should we take? Care of magical creatures? Divination? Arithmancy? I don’t want to do ancient runes, it seems insanely difficult and rather pointless.”

“You would probably like care of magical creatures,” Draco mused.

“I probably would, I love animals.” This statement was punctuated by Emmett rubbing his face against mine. “But divination seems cool too.”

“Well there we go then, muggle studies, divination and care of magical creatures.” Draco said, reaching out to scratch Emmett behind the ears.

“Maybe I should do that too,” Neville said. I glanced art his mandrakes, to make sure I was giving my own the correct amount of water.

“You could, but didn’t you want a free period?” I asked.

“Oh right, so I can only take two of them.” Neville said, contemplating. “I don’t think I’ll do muggle studies then.”

“Right, well we’ve all got our classes now.” I said.

Just then, Professor Sprout called, “Class dismissed! Please leave your gloves beside your pots.” She began to walk around the greenhouse, examining all of the mandrakes and water levels. She tutted softly at a few of the drenched pots and some bone-dry ones.

Hastily, I pulled off my gloves and folded them beside the mandrake pots. I said goodbye to Neville and left with Draco. I considered it to be a high achievement that Draco had stopped teasing Neville. While they never spoke to one another, it was better than insulting and fighting each other.

***

The next morning, the Great Hall was buzzing with excitement about the quidditch match against Gryffindor and Hufflepuff, that would occur that day. 

Draco and I were leaving breakfast, with Ron, Harry and Hermione right in front of us. Suddenly, Harry jumped and said, “The voice! I just heard it again! Didn’t you?”

We couldn’t hear Hermione’s response, but a moment later she was bolting off in the opposite direction and up a staircase. 

Draco glared off in the direction Hermione had disappeared in, but he said nothing.

Together the two of us made our way to the Quidditch pitch, excited to watch the match. We met up with Blaise, Pansy, Millicent and the rest of the Slytherins who had saved us seats. I watched as Harry entered the pitch with the rest of his team. He was mounting his broom when Professor McGonagall stalked onto the pitch.

Then she said, her voice magically magnified, “This match has been canceled! All students are to return to their house common rooms immediately and await further information from your head of house. Now!”

Everyone began to stand and exit the stands, confused muttering buzzing in my ears. But I was focused on the pitch where Professor McGonagall was leading Ron and Harry away from the rest and into the castle.

Draco grabbed my hand and half led, half dragged me back to the common room. My mind was racing and the world outside had become distant and blurred. What had happened? What was going on? And how was Harry involved? My stomach churned, had there been another attack?

Snape was waiting for us in the common room when we arrived. And his first words confirmed my worse suspicions, “There have been two more attacks, no one is dead, both girls are merely petrified. In order to protect the rest of you, some new restrictions have been put in place. All students will return to the common room by six o’clock every evening and will not leave after that time. You will be escorted to each lesson and the bathrooms by a teacher. There will be no further quidditch matches or practices until further notice. Nor will there be any other evening activities.”

Once he was finished I asked, “Who has been petrified?”

Snape stared at me for a long moment before answering. “Penelope Clearwater from Ravenclaw and Hermione Granger from Gryffindor.”

There were several jeers from fellow Slytherins, which served to conceal my gasp of shock and sadness. Not Hermione. Draco was scrutinizing me with an odd look on his face and it was clear to me that my displeasure had not gone unnoticed by him. 

He didn’t say anything though and I tried to pass the moment as though there was nothing out of the ordinary. Of course he saw right through me, but the others were oblivious to everything.

I felt numb. I couldn’t believe it. Hermione... petrified.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed! Leave comments and kudos so I know you like it!


	10. The Row

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy :)
> 
> Special shoutout to appalyneinstitute1 for listening to my rants about this fic! Go check out her works! Currently she has two series going; Legacies of Hogwarts Universe and Cedric Diggory Universe!

There was a pit in my stomach that had taken residence since the day Hermione had been petrified. A certain sense of foreboding refused to leave me alone and even Draco tried to become more solemn whenever he was around me. It was nice that he never asked why I was so upset by Hermione’s petrification.

The lot of us were escorted everywhere and many of my fellow Slytherins had taken to complaining about it. None of them thought they were in any danger and didn’t care about those who were.

I had taken to walking down the halls between classes with the Marauders map out, just watching my brother’s little dot. If my Tom Riddle theory was correct then Harry was in more danger than anyone else. It reached the point where Draco would just grab my elbow and steer me down the hall to make sure I didn’t crash into anyone.

Draco was extremely interested in the map. He had never seen anything like it before, making it rare, possibly unique. The only times I could relax were during herbology and potions, both of which the Slytherins had with the Gryffindors, so I could keep a close eye on Harry.

“Why are you staring at Potter?” Draco asked me one day.

I shook my head to clear my thoughts, “What? I- sorry. No, I’m not staring at him. I just- it’s so weird seeing those two without Granger, that’s all.”

***

The next day at breakfast, Hagrid was mysteriously absent from the staff table. Immediately I pulled out my map and searched the castle, if he was anywhere inside, I would be able to see him.No luck. He was no where to be found.

As I was leaving the great hall, I managed to give Draco the slip. I pulled Harry and Ron aside and asked, “Do you know where Hagrid is?”

Harry and Ron looked rather solemn. “Emma, he’s been sent to Azkaban.”

My heart stopped beating in my chest. First Hermione and now Hagrid. It must be because of the chamber, this needed to stop, now more than ever.

“We have to catch Slytherin’s heir soon, we can’t let Hagrid go down for this.” I seethed. Ron and Harry nodded their agreement.

“I still think its Malfoy,” Ron sneered, “His dad was there when they arrested Hagrid and he was positively glowing.”

I rolled my eyes at his utter stupidity.

“Ron, we know it isn’t him.” Harry said cryptically.

I began to walk away when Harry called me back, “Emma, there’s something else. Dumbledore’s gone.”

“Gone?!” I nearly screamed, catching myself at the last moment, turning the word to a hiss, “Gone how? Where?”

“Malfoy got him thrown out.” Ron said, not even trying to keep the hate from his voice.

My heart was racing, Dumbledore gone? Harry was a dead man. My hands began to shake.

“Are you worried?” I asked Harry, it was an effort to keep my voice from cracking.

“No.” He said, his voice hard.

I glanced at him sidelong, but his expression betrayed nothing. I sped ahead of them, best not to let too many people see us together.

Up the hall, Draco was stopped, waiting for me. An odd expression crossed his fine features, but it dissipated almost instantly, turning to a sneer when I reached him.

“What are you doing with _them_?” He spat the final word as though it was a curse.

“They’re friends with Hagrid.” I said shortly, “He’s in Azkaban.”

Draco gaped at me, “What? Why?”

“Didn’t you know it was going to happen?” I asked, perhaps a little too harshly, “Your dad was there when he was taken.”

He blinked away his surprise, “He must have forgotten to mention it.”

“Right.” I couldn’t hold back my anger anymore, “Did he forget to mention that he got Dumbledore sacked too?” He’s gone, Draco! The muggleborns don’t stand a chance without him here!”

“Why do you care?” He shouted, losing his cool too, “Why does it matter if the filthy little mudbloods snuff it?!”

“They’re still people! And they’re bloody good at magic! They’re the same as the rest of us! And my mum... my mum was a _filthy little mudblood_! And if she was here, then she’d be in danger too! Why are they lesser to you?!” I was screaming now, so loud that the whole corridor was staring at us.

“Because... because they’re not pureblood! They’re tainted! They’re dirty! They’re weaker than the rest of us!” He shouted right back.

All of that pent up fear and anger only served to fuel me now. I could feel the heat of rage flooding into my face, reddening it. “Really?! That’s what you think! My mum was top of her class! Hermione is top of ours! Both are muggleborn!” My voice cracked.

“If they were so brilliant then Granger wouldn’t be petrified and your mum wouldn’t be dead!” He spat.

“Sod off Malfoy.” I hissed, voice deadly quiet.

***

I was positively fuming everywhere I went. I was so filled with fear for my brother and anger towards Malfoy that I was a bomb, set to go off at the slightest disturbance. I hollered at anyone and everyone who bumped into my in the halls, even though most were twice my size.

I had gotten several detentions for picking fights and not paying attention during my classes. Somehow I managed to keep my grades.

I couldn’t bare to speak with any of the other Slytherins, for I knew they all shared Malfoy’s view of muggleborns. _Pureblood scum_ , the whole lot of them.

The only person I talked to anymore was Neville. His potions grades had skyrocketed, as had mine in herbology. Whenever we could (which wasn’t very often) we were in the library together. He was quite nice, and though a pureblood, he was pro-muggleborns. We did all of our homework together (if we were quick enough to get it all done in the allotted time) and bonded over our annoyance at Lockhart.

In these past few weeks he had become even more (if possible) boastful of his talents. He claimed he could defeat the beast within the chamber with ease and seemed to be daring it to come face him. If there was anyone who I wouldn’t mind losing to the chamber, it was him.

I ate every meal on my own. Malfoy hadn’t tried to talk to me since our fight, and I didn’t want him to. Or so I told myself.

Despite my attempts to ignore him, I couldn’t keep my eyes from flicking over to his place at the table. He was surrounded by the other Slytherins in our year; Millicent, Pansy, Gregory, Vincent, and Blaise. All of whom were talking animatedly.

Except for him.

He was silent and staring at me.

Our eyes meant for half a moment. Quickly, I looked away, glaring at my plate as though it had been the one to wrong me.

Beneath the table, I began to tug at my shaking fingers.

After that my appetite was gone, and I left the table.

***

I caught Malfoy watching me during potions and then again in herbology.

***

We were making a particularly difficult potion when I caught Malfoy watching me again.

I was in an exceptionally bitter mood, for my potion wasn’t going as well as could have been and Lockhart had given us another essay about himself.

So in a moment of utter malice, I stood and walked to his side of the dungeon under the pretense of getting an ingredient out of the cupboard. On my way back to my seat, I _accidentally_ knocked over Draco’s cauldron with a clatter, spilling his half finished potion all over his books and completed homework.

His eyes snapped up and met mine.

“Oops,” I drawled, never taking my eyes from his.

It seemed like an eternity had passed, and still neither of us looked away. I knew the whole class was staring at us.

And then Snape was beside me, a lazy wave of his wand vanishing the potion and the moment ended. Both of us looked to Snape.

“What happened,” He asked.

Malfoy spoke before I could, “My fault, must of had the cauldron too close to the edge. Sorry, Professor.” He mumbled.

Snape looked at me and then back to Malfoy.

“Don’t let it happen again and zero marks today.” Snape said and swept back to the front of the room, “The rest of you have five more minutes, then you’ll turn in a vial of your potion to me.”

I turned to walk back to my spot with Neville when Malfoy said, “Emma...”

I cursed myself for the falter in my step and forced myself to keep walking.

He didn’t say anything else.

Harry gave me a scrutinizing look, I merely shrugged in return. Ron gave me a thumbs up and even Dean and Seamus offered me smiles.

Neville was swearing under his breath and feverishly trying to get his potion from lime green to the lilac it was meant to be.

“You’ll want to add another lizard’s tail,” I said, gesturing to the board, “That says ‘five’ not ‘four’”

“Thanks,” He said, hastily dropping another in, and letting out a sigh of relief when began to fade to lilac, “You’re a life saver.”

***

Lockhart had taken up a new stance on the issue of the chamber. Now he was preaching to anyone who would listen that Hagrid was, by all accounts, guilty, and that no one was any longer in danger.

I had had quite enough of it and stormed from the classroom.

“Emma!” It was Malfoy.

I rounded on him, fully prepared to have another row, right here in this corridor.

“What!”

“You shouldn’t be alone! You know that!”

“Oh really? You heard Lockhart! The culprit has been caught! We aren’t in any danger anymore! Not that you ever were. _Pureblood_.”

“Emma I’m sorry.” He said.

I crossed my arms and tapped my foot expectantly.

He grasped for something else to say, “And you can ruin my potions for the rest of the year if you’ll forgive me.”

I pretended to be contemplating it.

“Say Hermione’s smarter that you.”

He gave me an exasperated look, but said it nonetheless.

“Say Dumbledore is the greatest headmaster to ever be at Hogwarts.”

“Dumbledore is the greatest headmaster ever to set foot in Hogwarts.”

“Say you love Harry Potter.”

“Alright, now you’re pushing it.”

“Say it!”

“I will not.”

“I’m not forgiving you until you do.”

“Fine,” He gathered himself, shoving down his pride and said, “I love Harry Potter.”

Behind him laugher erupted and began to echo throughout the corridor. For, I had neglected to mention that our defense against the dark arts class had all begun to file into the hallway, and leading the group was none other than Harry himself.

Draco’s face turned beet red. I grabbed his hand and began pulling him to the next class, no need for a full fletched incident.

“This is the wrong way!” He said.

“No, its just the long way, but by all means, if you want to walk with them, be my guest.”

He scowled at me and I grinned back.

We rounded a corner and his jaw dropped. I whipped my head around to look at what he was seeing and horror filled me at the sight.

We had reached the sight of the first attack.

But there was a new message, below the first.

**_Her skeleton will lie in the Chamber forever._ **

I might have screamed...

I must have screamed.

Because then someone was running towards us.

And in my panicked, paranoid brain, my first thought went to the heir of Slytherin.

I whirled around, whipping my wand from my pocket as I went.

It was Professor McGonagall.

I let my wand hand drop.

It had finally happened.

Someone was dead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave kudos and comments!


	11. The Chamber

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would like to note that the Slytherin dorms are different from the Gryffindor ones. Slytherins each have their own rooms. Guys can only enter the girl’s side if given permission by a girl (they don’t have to say it aloud, only subconsciously think it) and vice versa. They do however share bathrooms with those of the same gender in their year.

“We didn’t do it!” Draco said, “We just found it.”

McGonagall didn’t seem to be listening, she had sprinted past them to examine the words.

Then her wand was to her throat and she was saying, magically magnified to be heard by the whole school, “All students to return to their House dormitories at once. All teachers return to the staff room. Immediately, please.” Then at a normal volume, “You two as well, go.”

Without a further word, she dashed off towards the staff room.

We wasted no time returning to our common room to tell everyone what we had seen.

Neither Draco or I spoke the entire way back.

Silently, I pulled out the map to check on Hermione. She was still in the hospital wing, alive and petrified. Relief flooded through me, she had been the only girl I knew who was in real danger. But if not her... then who?

Draco muttered the password and I looked up, realizing that we were at the entrance to our common room. We entered the empty room, no surprise there, we had been the closest.

Slowly, students began to trickle inside, buzzing with conversation.

I caught bits and pieces of their conversations.

“What do you think happened?”

“Is Snape coming?”

“I heard someone say...”

“... hope he gets here soon.”

“I bet the Prefects will know something, let’s ask...”

Pansy, Millicent, Blaise, Crabbe and Goyle finally came in and huddled around us.

“Where did you go?” Pansy asked accusingly.

At the same time, Blaise said, “Look who’s friends again.”

I chose to ignore them both.

“Any idea what this is about?” Asked Millicent, gesturing to the crowded common room.

“Someone was taken into the chamber of the secrets.” I said, refusing to take my eyes off of the map. I was frantically scanning it, searching for every girl I knew.

“Ooo who do you think it was?” Pansy asked, a little too cheerfully.

By this point everyone was in either their designated common room or the staff room. With the exception of Lockhart; who had just left his office and was running down a corridor, towards the staff room, Moaning Myrtle; who never left her bathroom and.... I came up short. Harry and Ron... were in the corner of the staff room. What the hell were they doing in there?

I forced myself to return to my original task, Ron and Harry needn’t be a worry, they were safe, someone else was not.

Fred, George and Percy were all crowded together in the Gryffindor common room. Where was Ginny?

I scanned the rest of the common room, and then all of the Gryffindor dorms. No luck.

“Draco help me look for Ginny Weasley,” I whispered under my breath.

He shifted a bit closer and bent his head over the map, to help me search.

We continued to look without any results, until Snape entered the room. With him, he brought grave news, “A student, Ginny Weasley has been taken into the chamber of secrets, she is presumably dead. Therefore Hogwarts is no longer safe for any of you. All of you must pack your trucks, you will be leaving on the Hogwarts express tomorrow morning.” Snape pulled a long roll of parchment from his robes. “Now, I need to ensure that everyone is here.” He began to read off names, beginning with the first years and working his way up. After close to ten minutes of this, he called out the last seven year and rolled up the parchment. Everyone was there. “Alright go on and start packing!” Snape called, a note of finality in his voice.

I rushed up to meet Snape as much of the crowd started to disperse.

“What about Ginny?” I asked, despising the shrillness in my own voice, “Surely you’ll save her or at least recover her body?”

“We’ll try, of course we will, but we’ve never found the chamber before, so I can’t promise anything.” He wore a pained expression.

Draco was waiting for me, a few steps back. When I reached his side, he wrapped an arm around me and I rested my head against his shoulder.

Emmett wove his way back and forth between our legs as we walked to the dorm room stairs.

“Together?” He asked. I nodded. “You first then.” And with that, we went to my room.

I had managed to make quite the mess, purely because it was the first time I was able to make one without being hit or screamed at or locked in my room without supper.

Draco did the majority of the actual packing while I tried to memorize every little detail of my room. The school might be closing forever and I might never get to see it again.

Once my trunk was packed, we moved to Draco’s room. On his nightstand sat a photograph of him with his parents.

A pang shot through me, I only had one photograph of my whole family, from the day after I was born. It had been a part of the album Snape had given me.

I wondered if Harry was packing his things now too. Last I had seen him, he’d been with Ron in the staff room. With all of the teachers! But... that would mean that he and Ron would have overheard them talking, likely heard that Ginny was the one taken, before they were trapped in the Gryffindor common room. Had they ever made it to the common room or were they off doing something reckless?

Fear jolted through me. I had to check on them. I reached in my pocket for the map, but found only my wand.

Shit. I had left it in the common room!

“I left the map downstairs,” I said to Draco, already half way out the door, “I have to go get it.”

I ran all the way to the couch I had been sitting at, and much to my relief, there it was.

I grabbed it up and searched the Gryffindor common room.

He wasn’t there. Neither was Ron.

I scanned the rest of the map and finally located them. They were in a girl’s bathroom, the same one I had found them in earlier in the year. But that wasn’t the strangest part. No, the strangest part was that Lockhart was with him.

But in the next instance, he had vanished straight off the map. Ron and Harry vanished moments later.

My heart stopped. Had they been attacked? Had they disappeared because they were dead? Or... had they found the chamber?

I was out of the common room and running towards the bathroom before I even realized that I had moved.

It felt like only seconds had passed, or maybe it had been an eternity, and then I had reached the bathroom.

There, just floating, was Moaning Myrtle.

“They went down there,” She said with a giggle, “You had better hurry, I think they’re going to die soon.” She was blatantly ecstatic.

I turned in the direction she had indicated and came face to face with an open pipe set into the floor between the parted sinks.

“Do you ever leave this bathroom?” I asked her.

“Sometimes,” She said, still smiling with glee.

“Do you think you could get Professor Snape and McGonagall for me?” She appeared to be contemplating, so I made a desperate decision, “If I die down there, I promise to become a ghost and live here with you.”

Her face lit up and she zoomed away.

Slowly, I approached the entrance to the chamber.

With a gulp, I mastered my fear, drew out my courage and slid into the awaiting darkness.

It was disgusting, slimy.

I finally reached the bottom and began to work my way through the dark tunnel.

“Lumos.”

Around a bend, I could hear repetitive crashing.

Cautiously, I rounded the corner, to find Ron and Lockhart. Lockhart was sitting on the ground, gazing dazedly at Ron, who was moving rocks from a collapsed pile, blocking off the rest of the tunnel.

“Ron?” I asked.

His head snapped up and he looked at me, “Emma?” His voice was filled with shock and terror.

“Where’s Harry?” I asked.

“On the other side of this,” Ron grunted, heaving another rock over his shoulder, “This idiot,” He gestured to Lockhart, “Caused a cave-in”

I hurried to his side and began levitating rocks out of the way with my wand. It quickened the work significantly and soon the way was clear for us.

Lockhart scrambled up and ran ahead, disappearing into the darkness beyond.

Ron and I ran after him, both of us with siblings in danger.

The chamber we entered was the scariest thing I had ever seen.

Before me was Harry, a sword clutched in his hand, facing off with the largest snake that could possibly exist. Ginny was collapsed upon the floor and there was a boy, likely in his sixth or seventh year standing beside her. His expression was cold and cruel. He must be the heir of Slytherin, but I had never seen him at school before. Could he be Tom Riddle? It didn’t make any sense.

But then... there were more important things going on, than understanding who this guy was. And Lockhart, the idiot, was approaching the snake, reaching out as though he planned on touching it.

The snake let out a shriek of pain and my eyes snapped back to Harry. He had run the sword straight through the snake’s skull. It convulsed, its tail whipped, straight into Lockhart. He was thrown into an adjacent wall, with a sickening crunch. I flinched back as the snake went limp.

Blood covered Harry and I rushed over to him, “Is it yours?” I shrieked frantically. “Tergeo!”

The blood disappeared, revealing a deep gash, only then did I take notice of the fang clutched in his other hand. The wound was quickly concealed from view by his blooming blood.

I fumbled in my mind for the proper spell to heal him. “Er- Episkey!” Nothing happened. There was only one another spell I could think of and it was far to complex for me. But I had to try. “Vulnera Sanentur!” Nothing. No! No! No! “I don’t know what to do!” I was crying now as I tried to staunch the bleeding with me hands.

A phoenix landed on Harry’s shoulder suddenly, was this Dumbledore’s phoenix?

“You’re dead Potter,” A cold hard voice from behind me said. “Dead. Your girlfriend knows it and even Dumbledore’s bird knows it. Do you see what he’s doing Potter? He’s crying.”

And as the phoenix started to cry, I stopped. Of course! A phoenix’s tears has a healing property! Could heal almost any wound!

The boy continued to speak, as I watched Harry’s wound growing smaller with each tear ghat met his skin. “So ends the famous Harry Potter. In the Chamber of Secrets, let down by his friends, defeated at last by the Dark Lord he’s so unwisely challenged. You’ll be back with your dear Mudblood mother soon, Harry… She bought you 12 years of borrowed time… But Lord Voldemort got you in the end, as you knew he must…” Then Riddle, yes this was the man who had murdered my parents, began to notice, “Get away you stupid bird!” He screamed, taking a step closer, “Get away!”

He was clutching Harry’s wand. Without thinking, I shouted, “Expelliarmus!” The wand flew from his hand and I caught it in my own, handing it quickly to Harry.

Now it was two on one, and he was unarmed.

“Is she alive?” I asked no one in particular.

“Barely,” Riddle hissed.

The phoenix soared into the air, picked something up from the ground and flew back to Harry, dropping it into his lap. It appeared to be some kind of book.

Dawning realization clouded Harry’s features and he raised the hand that was still holding the snake fang. He glared straight into Riddle’s eyes and plunged the fang into the books cover. Ink began to flood from the book and a terrible screaming noise erupted from it, echoing in my eardrums.

And then Riddle was gone.

Harry was shaking, I was too.

I pulled myself together and joined Ron at Ginny’s side.

He was kneeling beside her, holding her limp form to his chest and crying into her hair.

I reached out to her and placed my hand against her pale throat. After several, excruciatingly long seconds, I found a pulse. It was faint and very weak, but it was there.

“She’s not dead,” I whispered. Even as I said the words, I felt her pulse growing stronger.

Ron’s eyes snapped up to meet mine. Carefully, I guided his hand to the place my fingers had rested moments before.

After a moment, I was sure he could feel it too. His shoulders sagged in relief and he let out a laugh.

“Renervate,” I said softly, tapping her gently with my wand.

Slowly, Ginny’s eyes opened, wide and terrified.

And then, without warning, she began to cry.

“Ron!” She cried, “Oh, Ron! I’m sorry, I tried to tell you! I swear I tried, during breakfast. But then Percy interrupted and I got scared. I’m sorry. It was me! It was all me! But Riddle, he made me do it! He was controlling me, I swear, I didn’t want to. What happened? Where is Riddle?”

“Riddle is gone, it’s all over, Harry destroyed the diary and killed the snake.” I said, reassuringly.

Ginny only cried harder, “I’m going to be expelled! And what will mom and dad say? And Bill and Charlie and Percy? Fred and George?”

“Mom and Dad will understand, Ginny. So will our brothers.” Ron said gently.

Harry was standing now, and joined us.

“How did you find us?” Harry asked. He was holding the sword of Gryffindor and the destroyed diary.

“The map, the one I got from Fred and George,” I said, “I was watching it, searching it and I saw you in the bathroom. Then you vanished. And that could only have meant two things, you were either dead or you had entered the chamber.”

Just then, I remembered, “Lockhart!” I jumped up from Ginny and ran to where Lockhart lay. “No.” I whispered as I searched for a pulse.

There was none.

No breath escaped his lips.

His heart did not beat.

And Lockhart was dead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave kudos and comments!


	12. Until Next Year

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is! The last chapter of book 1!

The idiot was dead... and it was my fault.

I stood, slowly, in a daze.

I walked back to Harry, Ron and Ginny. Only then did I realize how covered in blood we all were. Ginny had it all over her hands, she had been the one to write on the walls in the stuff. Harry was positively covered in his own from his wound from the snake. I was covered in Harry’s blood too. I didn’t know if Ron had any on him, he was covered in dust and grime from the collapsing pipe.

Harry was staring at me.

“Lockhart is dead,” I said, in barely a whisper. My vision blurred and I thought I was losing consciousness, until I felt the tears sliding down my cheeks.

Before anyone could react, there were footsteps, coming from the way we had come in.

I raised my wand, Harry, the sword. Ginny didn’t have her wand and Ron’s was useless. Harry’s was deep in his pocket.

But I lowered mine as soon as I saw who it was.

Professor McGonagall and Snape came bursting in, their wands raised too.

I imagined what they were seeing, Ron sitting with Ginny, Harry and I covered in blood, the phoenix perched on Harry’s shoulder. The snake dead behind us, Harry holding the sword, the sorting hat and the destroyed diary. Lockhart dead in the corner.

Snape ran to me, McGonagall to Harry.

“Where are you hurt?” He asked, panicked.

“I’m fine, its not my blood.” I said, “It’s Harry’s, he got bit by the snake, but he’s fine now, its dead.”

McGonagall had come to the understanding that Harry wasn’t hurt and had moved to Ginny.

I was shaking all over, and could barely breathe.

Snape caught sight of Lockhart and rushed to his side. He did as I did and checked for a pulse, a heart beat, breath. Nothing. The same conclusion I had come to.

Snape stood and turned, “What happened?” He asked us all.

“Not here,” McGonagall said, “The four of them can explain from the hospital wing.”

Snape nodded. Ron helped Ginny to stand, she was shaking just as hard as I was. She kept glancing over to the snake and to where Lockhart was.

***

Dumbledore was back, the students hadn’t been forced to leave, exams had been canceled, Hermione was back, Lockhart was dead, Draco refused to leave me alone at any point.

Everyone who had been petrified was alright. The governors had confessed to Draco’s dad threatening them and forcing them to say they wanted Dumbledore gone. Hagrid had been released from Azkaban.

Draco had been mad at me at first, for rushing into danger, for not telling him that I was going. But he had gotten over it rather quickly and taken to going everywhere with me. We spent hours in the library everyday. We had decided it was time to make some improvements to the map.

It took the entire remainder of the year, but finally we managed it. We added the chamber of secrets and the rest of the grounds, the Quidditch pitch and Hagrid’s house.

I had to admit, I was still shaken by everything that had happened, of course I was. Someone had died. Granted, he hadn’t been particularly liked by anyone, but it was a tragedy all the same.

***

Draco, Blaise, Pansy, Millicent, Crabbe, Goyle and I were on the train headed home. 

The train was pulling into King’s Cross Station. I imagined that everyone else was feeling bittersweet about the end, about the summer ahead. But I was just bitter.

I was not interested in spending the summer at the Dursley’s once again.

Dumbledore had warned me against doing magic while home, Harry already had one strike. Since the ministry didn’t know of my existence, any magic would be pinned on Harry. And since he already had one strike from Dobby (who he had successfully freed from the Malfoy’s much to Draco’s dad’s dismay.) and another one would lead to a ministry hearing and possible expulsion from Hogwarts.

The train came to a halt. Draco, Blaise, Pansy and I were prepared when it did. We dragged our trunks from the compartment, leaving Millicent, Crabbe and Goyle behind. They would catch up.

“Listen,” I said, “I don’t know if I’ll be able to write to you this summer, the muggles hate magic, all forms of it. Hell, I don’t even know if I’ll be able to do my homework.”

“I’m still writing to you,” Draco said.

“Me too,” Pansy said, “If you get the letters, you get them, if you don’t, you don’t.”

“Well, if I can’t talk you then, until next year.” I said.

“Until next year,” They said in unison.

I hugged each of them and then they were gone, off to find their parents.

I left the platform on my own to wait by the car, I couldn’t be seen with Harry, especially with so many ministry officials as parents. Harry would explain that to them if they asked questions.

A few minutes later Vernon and Petunia walked out, Harry trailing behind them.

His mood was solemn, same as mine.

We loaded our trunks into the boot in silence and climbed into the backseat.

“Why the hell did you wait by the car?” Vernon asked, “Did you do something to it?”

I rolled my eyes. This was going to be a long summer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Stay tuned for book 2!


End file.
